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Hiotographic 

Sdences 

Corporation 


23  WIST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)«73-4S03 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreprr ductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


•'•:  . 


" 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibiiographiquee 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  it6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m6thode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqute  ci-dessous. 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


D 


D 
D 


D 


Couverture  sndommagie 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurie  et/ou  pailiculAe 


|~n    Cover  titCs  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 


□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
ReilA  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serr^e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int^rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouttes 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaitfsent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  Atait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  AM  fiimies. 


□   Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

I — I    Pages  damaged/ 
I I    Pages  cmdommagdes 

□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restauries  et/ou  peliiculAes 

0    Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d6color6es,  tachet^es  ou  piqui 


D 
0 
D 
D 
D 
D 


piqu6es 


Pages 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ditach^es 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Quatit6  in^gale  de  I'impression 


Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplimentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Mition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6ti  filmies  d  nouveau  de  fapon  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


d 
a 
fa 
rl 
r( 
n 


D 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplAmentaires: 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmA  au  taux  de  reduction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


The  copy  filmed  h«r«  hat  b««n  raproducad  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 


L'exemplaire  filmA  fut  reproduit  grice  A  la 
ginirosit*  de: 


University  of  Windsor 


University  of  Windsor 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  iceeping  with  the 
filming  contract  apecificatlona. 


Original  copies  in  printed  peper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impree- 
sion.  or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  psge  with  a  printed  or  illuatratad  imprea* 
slon,  and  ending  on  the  lest  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  freme  on  each  microfiche 
shell  contain  the  symbol  — »>  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6x6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin.  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
d«  la  nettet*  de  l'exemplaire  fiim«,  et  an 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Lee  exemplalres  originaux  dont  la  couvarture  en 
pepier  est  imprimAe  sont  fiimis  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'Impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  artres  exempiaires 
originaux  sont  f    i4s  en  commenpant  par  la 
premlire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'Impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernldre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaltra  sur  la 
derniire  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  -^>  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc..  may  be  filmed  et 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  lerge  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  end  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmAs  A  des  taux  de  rMuction  diff^rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  filmA  A  partir 
de  I'angle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  6  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas.  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'iniages  nicessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

NoinilKKN     ImHANA     II|>I'(»UI<A1.    S<M|KI>.         ri'ltl.lC AllHN     N(i      I 


The  St.  Joshph-Kankaker 

PORTAGE. 


ITS  LOCATION  AND  USE  BY  MARQUETTE,  LA  SALLE 
AND  THE  FRENCH  VOYAGEURS. 


BY 


(JKOHCK   .\.    IJ.NK'KR. 

S^:(■ltK^AU^    ow   iiik  SdciK'iv 


sor'rii  ni'.sw  Indiana. 
i'rBi,isiii:i)  \\Y  Till'.  S()(•II•:T^' 

.MA\     I.    !S!»!). 


)V 


I'OKTAUK    I.AXIUXCi   oN    TllK   ST.  JOSKl'H    KIVKl! 
KiMiii  skeli'li  by  I'liiil  St'Bniii  Hfitiuill,  I'aris. 


MmMM 


THE  ST.  JOSEPH  .KANKAKEE 

PORTAGE. 

ITS   EO(\\TIO\    .\\l)   ISK    i;V    .M.MK.XKTTK.    I..\  SAf.EE. 
AND  THK   KI:K.\(MI    \(  )V  A(  i  KlliS. 


I'lV  (  ;i:(iH(;k  .\.   Uaki'.i; 

Read  before  Uie  Society.  July  b,  18&7. 


yaeouje.    Tryz^xruuey^^ 


Sliorlly  ar'cf  Easier  Sunday.  ItlT'), 
the  >ick  and  di.slirartcncd  prirst. 
Fatlicv  .Iac<ni('s  .Mar(|uci  Ic'  let''  the  Indian  villai^'c  of  Kaskaskia 
to  return  1o  his  liclnvcd  St  l^iaiacc  by  a  new  route,  wtiieh  many 
emiiKMit  authorities  l)elieve  to  have  heen  via  the  Kankakee 
River,  lii  that  ease  it  is  very  pi-oWahh' that  he  and  his  t  wo  faithful 
attendints.  Pierre  Portei-et  and  .Iae(|UeN.  made  use  of  the  poi'ta<re 
between  the  Kankakee  and  St.  .loseph  Rivers  a  earryino-  y^Vc^vK^ 
of  between  four  and  five  miles.  The  [)or1ae;e  hindin;:'  on  the  St. 
Joseph  River  •' is  two  and  three  (|Uarter-  niih's  northwest  of  the 
court  house,  at  South  IJend.  St.  .loseph  County.  Indiaiui.  and 
the  portage  extends  in  a  south-westerly  course  to  three  small 
ponds  whieli  wei-e  the  nearest  >ourees  of  the  Kankakee.  The 
basins  of  these  ponds  are  still  clearly  delined. 

Early  in  December.  lliTH.  Ea  Salle  with  lleniu'pin.  Tonty  and 
others,  journeyed  (ucr  this  jiorta^'e  on  tlieii'  way  to  the  Illinois 
country.  It  seems  vei-y  probable  tluit  .Mloue/.  used  it  also.  i)Ut 
this  is  (huiied  by  some  authorities. 

The  earliest  mention  of  this  historic  route  is  fouml  in 
the    writing's   of    Father    Eonis    Hennepin.    Henrv    de    Tontv  and 


«?f^j^<5{^ 


\.     Api)leton"s  Cyclopedia  of  .Viiiericaii   Hioorapiiy:  Subject.  .\bir(|UOtto. 
2.     Uiver  of  tlu^  Muiinis.     T!\o  M"aniis  lllver.     St.  J()se])irs  r.ivi'r  of  the 

Lakes.     St.  .lose])hs  Rivt^r.      Hiji- St.  .btsepli  i;ivei'  of  Eak(!  .Michi- 

ffan.     St.  .lose]»h  1  liver. 


286601 


Rrnr  IJobcrl  riivclici'.  Si. mm-  dc  L;i  SiiIIc'  wli.i  lir.st  i.iadc  use  of  it 
as  slatt'd  above  in  Dccciuhcr.  ICiT!'.  Wean-  led  t«»  liclicvt'.  liow- 
t'V(M'.  Iliat  liOiiis  .lollicl.  conipanioii  i)f  .\lar<|iict  tc  and  (•(t-disciivcrcr 
of  the  .Mississij)|)i.  ioicw  of  ihi>  poiMa;;.'  as  cariv  as  lllT.'i. 

In  the  caflv  days  tiio  rt'^-ion  in  tlic  vicinity  of  tlic  ixuMairr. 
tlic  valleys  of  the  St.  Joscpji  and  tlif  Isankaivt'c.  alxtiindfd  in  a 
{jfi'cat  variety  of  fni'-hcarinu' animals.  It  was  well  known  anion*;' 
tlio  Indian  Irdx'son  account  of  its  cNcdiciu-c  as  a  limit  inu- uiNauid. 
Antoinc  de  la  Motlic  Cadillac  wriliiiLi-of  the  lower  l*cninsula  of 
.Micliijijan  in  ITOl.  says:  ••There  are  -o  many  \a>^t  |irairic>  dotted 
with  woods,  thickets  and  vines  where  the  waters  of  the  streams 
keej)  tlie  shores  always  ^-rt'eii  and  the  reaper  iia-  left  immowii  the 
luxuriant  <;'rasses  which  fatten  hutTaloes  of  enoiniou.s  si/.e."  The 
plain  alonn^  the  eastern  i)ank  of  the  St.  ,lo>epli  river  south  of 
Niles.  Michigan,  was  a  noted  hullalo  resort  known  to  the  l-'reiich 
as  ''Parcau.N  vaches  ";and  to  the  Indians  a>  ••The  cow-|)ast ui-e." 
or  ••cow-pens."  Furthei-  up  the  river  the  field  west  and  south 
of  the  porta<i;e  landino^.  was  called  at  the  time  of  the  visit  of 
Chai'levoi.x  in  1721.  ••La  I'rairiede  Tete  la  liocuf  "  dJutlalo  Head 
Prairie). 

All  this  rej^'ion  was  a  paradise  for  the  Indian.  .\  iiieiiioii''' 
prepai'ed  in  171S.  [\)v  the  l-'reiich  (Jovernmeiit  describes  particu- 
larly the  valley  of  the  St.  .losejih  as  follows:  ••'Tis  a  spo*  the 
best  adapted  of  any  to  be  seen  for  purposes  of  livinji,".  There  are 
pheasants  as  in  Ki-ance:  (piails  and  paroipiets:'  the  finest  vines  in 
the  world  '• ''ich  produce  a  vast  (|Uantity  of  very  excellent  {j^i'apos. 
Tt  is  the  richest  disti'ict  in  all  the  country."    .1.  Fenimore  Cooper 


1.    i; 


l{('nt'  li<)l>ert  Cavolier,  Sieur  de  La  Salle,  was  ])orn  at  lloiien.  and  his 
liaptisnial  entry  reads.  "'I'lie  l'2nd.  Novenil>cr  ltit:{,  was  i)a|)tized 
llobert  ('av(!lier.  son  of  the  lloiiorahle  .lean  Caveliei- and  < 'ather- 
ino  (Jeest."'  ParUnian.  ( iraviei-  and  Marj^ray  traced  the  surname 
of  de  La  Salle  to  an  estati'  in  the  nei<>liln)rhood  of  Kouen.  atone 
time  iiossessed  by  the  (livelier  family.  Tiie  ('liristian  name  lli'm' 
cannot  be  iiecouiited  for  although  it  mijrht  pei-haps  In;  the  name 
ehoaen  at  his  eonlirination,  as  is  eustomary  in  the  church  of  Home. 
2.  Paris  Documents,  published  in  Colonial  History  of  the  State  of  Xew 
York:  Vol.  !•:  i'ao-i"  Silo. 

;{.  "Paroquet"— Carolina  l'aro(iuet.  I'l^of.  Amos  \V.  liulier,  in  his 
work.  Hirds  of  Indiana.  Indiana  (ieolo<iical  Keport,  l.S'.»T:  I'a^ie 
81S»:  says:  "This  beautiful  little  pai^rot  was  formerly  found 
throu;>-hout  Indiana.  It  was  last  reported  from  l\nox  County  in 
IS")!*.  It  is  now  almost  e.xtinct  in  the  Inited  States,  beiny  at  pres- 
ent only  found  in  small  numbei-s  in  Florida  and  in  a  f(nv  favorable 
locations  in  north-east  Texas  and  Indian  Territory. 


■NIMMMlili 


in  liis  work.  ••Tln'  IJcr  liunlci-.  "'  calls  tlir  St.  .Idx'pli  count  I'v  or 
llluiij''  the  l)anK">  of  the  >trraiii  of  tliat  name,  ■•  .\  I'ci.idn  ihjit 
almost  merit-'  tlie  lofty  a|)|»<'lla1  ion  of  the  tiarden  of  .\merica.'- 
Ffcfc  with  tlie  hull'alo  weie  fonnd  tlie  lieaf.  the  elk.  tlie  (h'cf.  the 
heavef.  till'  otter,  tlie  marten,  tlie  raccoon,  the  mink,  the  mnsk- 
fat.   t lie  o])os>inn.   the  wildcat,   the  lynx,   the  wolf  and  the  fo.\.-' 

••l-'or  a  century  and  a  half  fur  was  kine-.  '  Here  the  intn-i  urtt 
i/r  An/.s' carried  on  ihcii'  trade'  with  ;.:reat  sut-cess.  The  i'a|)i<litv 
with  which  llic'  penetrated  the  forest  recesses  of  this  westei-ii 
countrv  is  aniono-  the  wonders  of  history,  .\o  donht  it  was  from 
one  of  liiese  nnui  or  fi'om  the  Indians  that  .lolliet  olitaim-d  his 
knowledo-e  of  the  St.  .lose|)ii  rivt-r.  and  svithout  evei-  seciiiii"  it. 
|)hu'e(l  il  tin  \\'\>   iiia|)  of  1  (iT  I. 


Hi"«  .ini.i.n-.i  s  MAT  ii.:i. 


1.     <  )ak  (  )|ieiiin;is.  or 'Pile  Hi'c-l  funter. 

'.'.  Iteniains  of  all  these  fiirliearini:  aninials  have  Iteen  foinui  near  the 
site  of  Korl  St.  .loseph.  and  are  now  in  the  collection  of  the  N'orlli- 
ern  Indian!!  Historical  Society. 

;{.  The  lievinnin>;  of  the  .\  \  II  centnry  was  ri'iiuirkalde  for  an  exo- 
dus to  the  western  countries  ucnefally.  In  spite  of  the  pro- 
hiliition  deereod  hy  tlie  <i-ovei'ninenl,  these  unlicensed  comniercial 
travelers  or  iieddlers  known  as  ronn  urs  ib  Imis.  i  miiniis.  ruiiifiji  urs, 
peltiy  men  and  ]»eaver  men.  were  cai'ryiny  on  the  V)usii>ess  of 
exchaiiiie  with  the  Indians  in  the  remote  i-eyions  in  the  heart  of 
the  forest  on  the  lakes  and  i-ivo-s.  In  ItiSl.  tluse  traders  had  he- 
eonie  so  nuiiu'rous  that  thi^  Kiny  eoncluded  toyrant  them  a  yenei'al 
amnesty  without  reserve.  Few  returned  desi)ito  this  appeal.  Ae- 
cordiny-to  M  i\e  Denouvillu.  not  only  did  these  roitimrs  <k  /(fi/.v 
depopulate  the  country  of  its  littest  sons:  hut  they  theinstdves  soon 
became  int ra<M:ihU'.  undisciplined  and  licentious,  demoralizing-  the 
Indians  and  hrinniny-  uj)  their  own  children  like  tliose  of  the  lat- 
t(3,.y_n,'.sir'' <!in>uard:  -'hake  St.  Louis."     Hayf  2i:{. 

■4.  'I'lie  artiides  of  merchandise  used  hy  the  I'^rencii  traders  in  cat  ryin<r 
on  the  fur-ti'ade.  were  chielly  coarse  lilue  and  red  eloth.  tine  scarlet, 
oims,  ]iowdtU'.  halls,  kinvt's.  hat(du'ts.  traps,  kettles,  lioes.  l>lankets. 
cottons,  rihhons.   lieads,   vermilion,  tohaceo  and  si)irituous 


(M)arse 
licpuir, 


'riii'><(>  luifilv  si>li>  of  l''i';iii(r.  ;icl  Ii;i1('(|  only  liy  the  love  of  ad- 
Vfiilui'f  iiiid  liiiiii.  srldoiii  ki'|i)  rccoi'iU  i'\rii  wlii'ii  caiiaMc  of  do'nM'' 
-o.  llo\\('\rl'  i1  doc-.  -MTii!  \r\-y  |(|Mlial)lr  thai  tlu'  sloi'ic^  told  1>V 
tln'^c  atl\  i'dI  iiroii>  tfadi'i'>  I'ct  iiniiii;^'  Iroiii  tlicii'  \ai'ious  cxoi'di- 
tioii^  to  1lli•^  riili  coiiiili'v.  would  -ooii  Iti'coiin'  M-i'iicra!  iiropciMv 
t  Iii'oiiii'lioiit  till-  M'l  1  lenient  >  aloni^  the  St.  Lawrence  rixer,  'rhece 
is  c\crv  rea-on  to  tliink  that  they  knew  the  \allevs  of  tlie  St.  Jo 
se[)h  and  the  Kankakee  far  lictier  than  th'ir  native  hunh  and 
were  ae(|iiaint  cd  with  ni  i>1  of  th-  trails  le.i  iinL!,'  to  t  he  dilVeren  t 
Indian  \illaui"<as  well  as  the  pirlau'"'.  'lie  nreat  hi;i'h\vav  to  tin' 
K'ankakec. 

The  learned  Iii^hop  Uruti'  intinnites.  and  I  tlnnk  riii'htlv.  tliat 
these  adxciitn  ers  liad  a>cendc(l  and  descended  the  St.  .Insenli 
river  ami  visited  tlie  '  mhan  \illa;^'es  on  the  K'ankakec  Itefore  .\hir- 
(|Uette  fonnded  tiic  mis>ion  at  Ka-^kaskia  on  the  ll!inoi>.  Certain 
it  is  that  tlie>e  ^lowin^'  descri|»t  ion>  of  tlii>  wc>tern  eonntrv  l»v 
tin-  rriitri  "fs  ill  /"lis.  retnrnin;j,'  to  .Monti'cal,  and  from  the  In- 
dians, and  from  th<'  r.-port  made  l»v  .lolliet  to  h'rontenac,  the  ji;ov- 
ci'nor  ;i'cneral  who  wa-  mo>t  favoraWIe  io  La  Salle's  enterpi'i-M'.  thai 
impelled  hlni  to  undertake  hi^  i;'rcat  expedition  to  plant  the/A'//- 
</,  /is  in  the  I  Hill  ii>  coniit  ry  and  aloiiLi'  tiie  Colhei't  (.Mississippi) 
river.  Tiii^  country  afterwards  named  Louisiana'  in  honor  of 
tlie(ii'aml  ,Moiiari|nc.    Louis  X  I  \' . 

Ilevnolds  in  l[i>  Pioneer  Mistcn-y  of  Illinois,  says:  -'Mar 
(luetic  and  '  »Hict  on  their  return,  made  out  such  a  <ii()wini>-  re- 
|)ort  lliat  it  set  all  Canada  on  lire  and  also  swept  over  l''ruiice  like 
a  tornado.  'The  l-'rciich.  always  cxcitalile.  cau^^'ht  t  he  mania  and 
became  cra/.y  to  see  and  settle  the  West.  This  ra;j;"('  for  wes1(>i'n 
enterprise  reached  La  Salle  and  hound  him  in  its  folds  diirine-  the 
I'emainder  of  hi>  life. 


].  It  is  said  hy  ( 'harlevni.x  tlial  the  name  of  Louisiana  was  <>'ivcn  by  La 
Salle,  who  ilescenileil  the  .Mississippi  in  the  year  lti^2:  bal  it  is 
d<)iit)tful  whether  it  can  be  found  in  any  printeij  work  before  ib'ti- 
nepin's  Description  de  la  Louisiane.  printed  at  I'aris.  Kis:;.  'i'liis 
(•(Mitains  a  dedication  to  Louis  Xl\'.  adulatory  in  tiie  e.xtreine:  jind 
it  is  believed  the  name  was  >ii Veil  for  the  same  end.  In  this  work, 
the  .Mississippi  is  culled  t  he  < 'olbert  river,  after  the  Kind's  •iivat 
minister:  and  the  name  Sidt^iielay  to  the  Illinois  and  K'ankakec, 
after  ( 'olbi'ft's  son.  the  .Manpiis  de  Sci;^nMay.  who  Inul  succeeded 
Ids  father  as  .Minister  to  the  (  olonies. 

y 


1^^ : 


\1KV\     (il-     I'l  ilflAi.l,   TliMI.    l.uiiKINi.    S'lni    W I  S  C    l'i;u\|    M    .InsKI'H    lil\Kl( 


.  I 


Tliiit  the  rc-rion  ol"  the  |)(trtii«;('  u'a««  For  (•I'nliii'ics  the  liomc  of 
the  Indian,  is  cvidt-nciMi  hy  tin'  t lioiisaniU  of  iinpci'i-'liablc  rclits 
of  llicii"  lumdicraft  found  al  tlir  iii'cscnt  time  t liroii<^lioii1  the  val- 
ley of  tlic  St.  .Ios('|>li  and  Ity  liiindrccK  of  cart  li  worUs  alonjr  the 
IvankaUiM"  ,ind  tlic  »niall  streams  trilnitary  lo  it.  it  is  n(»t  hard 
for  the  student  to  helieve  that  man  in  this  i-e;rion  was  coeval  witli 
thr  elo>e  of  the  (llaeial  epoeli  and  run  t  empm'ary  with  the  masto- 
don.•'  the  jji'eat  elk  and  tin'  <riant   heaver.  ' 


IN  I? I  A  MA 


I.OCATIiiN   eK   ST  .lOSKI'll   KANKAKKK    I'OKTAuK. 

It  was  prol)ul)ly  aftei-  tlu>  final  advance  and  dui-in^  tlie  with- 
drawal of  the  ixreut  Saijiuaw  u;laciei'.  tliat  the  water-slied  vvhicli 
causes  the  peculiar  draina;j;e  of  our  inunediate  vicinity  was  estab- 

1.  ^See  (!olle»'lionsof(  liiis.  H.  Ilartii'ti.  Kvcll   I',  .\lillei-.  Hasil  Itupei,  W  11- 

liain    li.  Stover,  (lecrf^i'  A.  liakei-,  Cluis.  Schiiell  and  Dr.  Ilu<i]i  T. 
.Nh)nt;romt'ry.  ef  .Soutli  Head.  Indiana. 

2.  LeContcs    in    ins    Klenients  of    Cooloyy.    savs    that    tlio    Mastodon 

roamed  in  lienis  over  N'ortli  Atueriea  from  tiie  (Juif  of  Mexico  to 
tlie  Ai'clic  I'cyions  Nhmy  very  pei-fect  .skeletons  of  llu;  Ahistodon 
liave  been  of)tained  from  marslies  in  New  ^'oik.  New  .lersey,  Indi- 
ana ami  Misrioiu'i,  A  splendid  specimen  was  foand  a  few  years  ayo 
in  the  bod  of  an  ancient  mai'sli  soutli-east  of  Soath  Heiai.  .Many 
fragments  of  skeletons  have  i)een  fcnmd  l)y  ditchers  in  St  .b)seph 
County  and  are  now  tol)eseeii  in  private  collection.s  in  Soath  iJenti. 
15.  The  ^iaiit  l)oaver.  Castorides  Oliioeiisis.  was  abundant  in  this  i-ej^ion. 
'Pile  writer  knows  of  two  distinct  specimens:  one  said  to  l)e  tiie 
mo.st  f)erfect  skull  of  this  animal  extant,  was  foiuul  ten  miles  north 
of  South  Bend,  near  (deiaio.a.  .Michigan,  aial  is  now  the  i)roperty 
of  the  Museum  of  Natural  History.  Central  i 'ark.  New  N'ork  City. 
The  other,  a  rijiht  upper  incisoi-,  was  found  in  the  Kankakee 
marsh,  four  nulcs  south-west  of  South  Kend.  and  is  now  in  tin;  col- 
lection of  the  writer. 

10 


lislicd.  It  Wiis  ill  TOSS  this  philfan.  Iliiit  niun  in  t In- carl v  ' imo- 
iiiikIc  tilt-  |)iirta;j,r  rmiii  llic  watciN  thai  tlnwcd  into  the  St.  Law 
rciitf  tn  tlic  wutiTs  tliat  tltiwcd  iniothr  (iiilt'ul  Mfxico.  ami  wliidi 
in  the  later  days  was  um'iI  liy  ilif  Indian.  Ilif  cxplorci's.  Mn'  mis 
sionai'ios  and  tlic  rnii/-i  urs  <li  In, is  Tliat  a  j)nrta;it'  m' cai'i'vini'" 
place  wliicli  was  the  ,s|,i>i'1c^1  and  llic  \\\n-.\  cnnvciiicnt  wav  would 
liavc  hcen  Known  to  tlic  Indian  ;^ui(lc>  and  have  remained  in  use 
down  to  the  adsent  of  the  |tci'manent  white  .settlers.  i>.  I  tliinlv, 
i|uite  obvious.  ('ci'tainlv  siicli  a  route  would  he  the  one  u-<i'd  l>v 
the  ritiin  iirs  ih  /mis,  rm/tii/i  hi-s  and  otiicis  haviny  lanocs.  hcaw 
loads  of  peltries  and  mercliandise  to  transport  from  river  to  river 
and  would  be  the  one  of  main  travel.  .No  one  will  denv  that 
occasionally  some  li;^htly  burch-ned  traveler  or  hunter  mieht 
make  tlie  poi'tae;e  by  a  lon<i'er  or  more  eiivuitoii^  route.' 

The  KanUaUec  rce'ion  i>  a  '■■reat.  Ilat  vallev  with  an  area  of 
over  si.xteen  hundred  s(piare  nule>.  extendine;  from  the  ea>tern 
i)order  of  the  State  of  Illinois,  northeast  to  the  pie^ent  site  f»f  the 
city  of  South  lieiid,  It  i--  a  \a>1  expanse  of  mar>h.  bordered  by 
bayous,  with  little  reaches  here  and  tlu.'e.  connect  in;;'  witii  in- 
numerable little  pools  and  spat  tei'-doik  ponds,  which  extended 
throue'hout  the  oo/v,  bo^-e-y  soil  ;  and  except  on  occasional  small 
sand  islands  and  dotted  pieces  of  woods  in  favoralilc  localities  alon;;' 
the  banks  of  tlic  river,  it  is  dcstiliit.'  of  tind)er,  aifordin^'  an  un- 
ol)structcd  view  f(  ••  miles. 

'riirouii'li  this  il  )wc(l  the  sinuous  Kankakee.  ( the  Theakiki  of 
the  earlv  Kr<'nch  explorers.)  drainine-  this  l)road  valley  into  the 
Illinois  and  thence  into  the  .Mississippi  river. 

Professor  .John  fj.  (.'ampbell,  Chief  I'iiio-incer  of  the  comnns- 
sion  appointed  by  the  'lencral  .\>send»ly  of  the  State  of  Imliana. 
Api'il  11 ,  ISSl,  to  rcpiM't  on  t  l;c  impr(»vemcnt  of  the  K'ankakco  river 
states  in  his  memoir  to  the  (lovcrnoi':  ••The  broad  valley  of 
the  Kankakee  marsh  is  doubtless  the  result  of  elacial  action.  At 
the  close  of  the  eiacial  period  we  may  suppose  that  a  shallow  river 
extended  from  bank  to  bank  of  the  valley.  This  stream  had  an 
averao-e  fall  of  one  and  tlircc-tcnths  feet  to  the  mile:  and  a  con- 
s(>(pient  vclo<-ity  rapid  cnou;i,h  to  take  up  the  particles  of  line  sand 
and  carry  them  forward.  The  retardation  alone-  the  bordei's  would 
caus(>  the  deposit  of  the  sand,  and  thereby  make  the  stream  moi'c 

1.     \'ia  Chain  Lakes  and  till' (Irupcviiie  Creek. 

II 


lUiiTDW  1)V  lilt'  loi'iual  ion  id'  l»;iiiks.  'Plic  Mai'i'owcd  and  (l(>t'|i(Mi('(1 
sti'cani  would  luivc  an  inci'i'astMl  vclocil y  and  licnci' ot lie)'  masses 
of  sand  would  be  taken  up  by  llu'  cun'cnt  and  carried  foi-ward  to 
I'onn  obstructions  in  tlie  i>-(>nera]  direction  (>•'  How.  Followinji;  the 
Ihus  of  least  resistance,  the  channel  would  l)e  divei'ted  from  its 
original  direction  aiul  would  chanti'e  from  sti'ai^'ht  to  ci'ooked  and 
continue  to  chan^'e  so  lon^'  as  the  velocity  was  too  u-rcat  for  the 
stability  of  the  sand  bt'd  ovei-  which  .he  river  Hows.  |}y  these 
ui'ocesses  doubtless  the  I\ankakee  with  its  two  tliousand  l)ends 
was  formed.  "  It  was  almost  as  easy  to  ascend  as  it  was  to  des- 
cend, so  sluu'gish  was  its  current.  It  could  be  navi^'ated  as  easily 
as  a  shallow  lake,  niakini;-  it  a  most  (h'siral)le  route  for  returning 
I'oi/iDii  iirs  heavily  laden  with  their  loads  of  i)ulky  ])eltries. 

Tiu'  Kankakee  was  always  a  well  detined  river,  and  thougli 
crooked  and  shallow  in  many  |)lace>.  it  was  plainly  (li.';t inguish- 
al)le  from  th.e  creeks  and  l)rooks  which  emptied  into  it. 

Mr.  Jacob  IJitter.  Mr.  IJoliert  (i.  Cissne  and  otlu'r  wrll  known 
settlei's  of  St.  Joseph  County  state  that  at  cei'tain  seasons  boats 
could  l>e  easily  launclied  north  of  the  nuiin  elianiu'l  of  tlie  Kanka- 
kee, thus  sliorteuing  the  poriage  by  a  mile  or  more.  I  want  to 
call  particular  attention  to  t his  e\  idenc(^  a^  it  harmonizes  witli  the 
description  of  the  portage  route  as  given  in  the  writings  of  Hen- 
nepin and  T.a  Salle,  who  state  indirectly  that  the  portage  was 
longer  during  low  water  and  sliorter  during  high  water. 

The  gov(>rnnient  survey  of  St.  .losepli  County.  ISiJS-lSHd. 
clearly  (h'lines  t  lie  outline  of  the  Kankakee  mai'sh.  Imnu'diately 
to  the  nortii  it  nuirks  the  (•onliue^  of  the  semi-wet  territory,  and 
still  furtlier  to  tlie  north,  tlie  oidline  of  the  dry  prairi(\  whiei:  is 
now  known  as  part  of  (Jerman  townsliip.  The  township  immedi- 
ately south  of  (ierman  i>  I'ortage.  so  called  becaus(>  the  portage 
passed  through  it.  The  dry  prairie  was  surrovmded  on  the  west, 
north  and  east  by  the  origiiud  forest  of  white  and  black  oak  and 
hickory.  On  tlie  southi  adjoining  tlie  semi-wet  territory  were 
seattereil  clumps  ol  ald(M>  and  willow  i)ushes  and  slirubs  as 
wcM'e  native  to  siicli  soils.  The  dry  prairii>  extended  west  from 
the  portage  landing  on  tlie  St.  Joseph  I'iver.  two  and  one-half 
mllfs.  and  two  and  on.'-(piarler  miles  fi'oni  tlie  eastei'n  verge  of 
the  prairie,  or  to  aiiout  a  line  nortii  and  south  betweer.  sections 
seven   and   eight,  and   sections   thirly-one  and    thirty-two   noi'th. 

12 


\IK\V  Ol-    lM|iiAi;K    IK.MI.    I.OdKl.Ni;   Sol  Til    WKSl'    KKO.M    ST.  .lwM:i'||    i;i\i:i; 
.Sllii\VlN(,   ASCKNT    I'd  llHill  liUm  Ml. 

I'lolii   |ili..l.i;;lii|ili  liv  M.  1)1111,11. 1    .s.iiilli  11.  11.1. 


riin<^('  two  cast.  The  timber  line  bonlcrint;'  tins  dry  prairie  ex- 
tended to  the  north  aeross  liir  Indiana  stat(  line  into  Mieliiiran. 
On  the  west  and  east  it  e.\to!Ml^.'(l  soutli  followino-  ih"  west  and 
east  confines  of  tlic  semi-wet  prairie  and  tlie  Kankal\e'>  marsh. 
The  nearest  approacli  of  tlic  cast  liiu-  of  the  dry  prairie  was  be- 
tvv(M'n  the  north-east  and  soutli-"--cs1  (piai'ter  of  section  twenty- 
seven,  townsliip  tlurty-ei^'ht,  nortli  rani^'c  two  cast ;  and  directly 
to  the  west  by  stuith  of  tlu^  present  I'csidence  of  Mrs.  James 
R.  Miller,  makin<;"  the  distance  as  ncai'  as  can  be  calcnlatt>d.  one 
(|uarter  of  a  mile  from  tlic  porta<i'e  landino-.  as  located  in  William 
Brooklield"s  field  notes  of  the  nuandcrino-s  of  the  St.  Joseph  rivei". 
government  survey  i-un  June  27.   lSL!!t. 

Let  us  take  a  bird's  eye  view  from  tlie  [)oint  where  the  prai- 
rie nearest  a])proaches  the  St.  Joseph  river  as  It  appeared  in  the 
early  days,  wdien  the  face  of  luiturc  still  remained  essentially  the 
same  as  when  Hennepin  and  La  Salle  looked  upon  it.  To  the 
west  and  south  the  dry  prairie,  the  semi-wet  prairie  and  the  vast 
expanse  of  nuirsh  appeai-cd  as  one  ^roa'  plain,  on  the  western 
verge  of  which  we  can  see  the  teepees,  the  smoke  from  numerous 
camp-fii'cs.  and  on  closer  inspection  the  rude  fortilications  of  an 
Indian  village  of  Miamis.  Mascoutins  and  Outagamis.  To  the 
west  of  this  rudely  fortitied  village  extended  a  stretch  of  high, 
rolling  and  dry  timber  land.  To  and  beyond  those  beautiful  and 
very  conspicuous  landnuirks.  IJeaver,  Bass  and  Lovvt'r  Chain 
Lakes.  It  may  be  assumed  that  no  careful  writer  accustomed  to 
reciting  a  trip  in  detail  would  have  failed  to  niention  these  lakes, 
covering  over  two  miles  of  that  trip,  and  wliose  wattn's  covered  in 
expanse  ov(>r  six  hundred  acrt's.  had  these  lakes  l)een  on  his  route 
Tht>  rcMuains  of  the  fortitied  Indian  village  referred  to  above  wei'e 
a  prominent  landmark  with  the  pioneers  who  s(>ttled  in  Gernum 
township.  They  were  located  on  the  northwest  (piai'tcr  of  section 
thirty-two,  township  thirty  eight  north  range  two  cast,  about  two 
hundred  yards  east  of  the  timber  lime,  and  about  two  hundred 
yjirds  north  of  the  present  Michigan  road  and  just  to  tlie  north- 
east of  the  old  Jessi'  Jennings  residiMice.  These  earthworks  con- 
sisted of  a  mound  some  eighty  or  ninety  feel  ir,  diameter  and 
from  four  to  five  feet  in  height.  North  of  this  mound  was  a  cir- 
cular end)ankment  about  one  hundred  feet  in  diameter.  To  the 
west  from  this  enclosure  was  an  elevati'd  patli  or  walk  leading  to 

14 


i  I 
I,  < 


u  siimll  podi  wliicli  liad  no  iiild  m-  oiilict.  hcinu-  supplied  uitli 
wjitor  by  the  spriiiu-s  and  the  rain.  Within  tlio  (.-iivular  enclosure, 
Ml'.  Jacoy)  Uillei-  l)uil1  a  eal)in  in  ls:;(i. 

In  ordei"  that  those  not  aecpiainlecl  witli  the  a])pearanee  of 
the  eoi.ntry  west  from  the  foi-tilied  \illaii-e.  I  will  <|uo1e  from  tlK> 
field  notes  of  the  ( io\erninent  survey: 

TowNsiiii'  :!S  N.  i:.  -2  K. 

Between  Section  7  and  IS.  White  and  Hurr  Oak  Timber: 
'•       IS  and  !!>.   Hurr  Oak: 

'•       l!t  and  .'!().   I^ui-r  Oak  IS  and  24  in.  in  diameter: 
.'!0  and  Ml,  Hickory  IS  ar.d  22  in.  in  diameter: 
lit  and  2(1,   iiurr  Oak: 
:5()  and  2!t.   I'.urr  Oak: 
"  ••       1)1  and  ;!2.   Hui'i*  Oak  and  Hickory. 

Fiand  roirm}.>  and  dry. 

Tow.Nsiiir,  :;s  X.  I  J.  1  K. 

Kast  boundary  of  Section  24,  Hurr  Oak  and  Hickory  IS  to  lUl 
in.  in  diameter. 

East  boundary  of  Section  2").  Hun-  Oak  aiul  Hii-kory  ; 

East  bouiKkiry  of  Section  ;>(i.  White  and  Black  Oak.  22,  24 
and  ;U>  in.  in  diameter. 

Land  i-ollino-  and  ch'y. 

In  addition  to  this  d<icumentary  evidence,  wo  have  the  testi- 
mony of  the  very  settlers  who  cleared  lliis  forest  land  and  made 
it  fit  for  cultivation,  selecting-  it  because  it  was  I'ieh  and  dry  and 
because  of  the  timber  which  they  could  use  for  fuel,  rails  and 
lumber. 

The  meanderinu's  of  the  St.  Joseph  river,  west  side,  run  by 
William  Brookfield.  as  o-iven  in  his  field  notes,  are  as  follows: 

Beirinnino'  on  meandcrmi);  ijost.  l)etween  Sections  2(>  and  27; 

South  72|-  det>;rees:  west  11  chains.  In  Section  27  at  four 
chains,  fifty  links:  a  brook  twelve  links  wide,  course  N.  W. 

South  80  do^'rees:  west  two  chains,  fifty  links: 

North  4')^  degi'CM's:  west  six  chains  and  fifty  links  ; 

North  17  degi'oes:  west  two  chains  and  fifty  links.  This 
is  the  pcu'tajj-e  landing  of  the  Kankakee  on  the  W(>st  bank  of  the 
St.  Joseph  river. 

15 


Hi 


Noiili  17.)  <l(';j;r('('s.  ciol  live  cluiiiis  and  iil'ty  links; 

Xorlli  'A'.'t  (Ic^'i'fcs :  ciisl  lixc  cliuins: 

Xdi'lli  (12  (l(';^r('('M  cast  Icii  diaiiis: 

N'oi'tli  7(i  (Icn-fci's :  cast  ten  chains:  at  three  chains  a  bi'ook 
Icii  liiil<s  wide,  coiii'se  cast.     (Witters  I»raiicli). 

Xorth  t!  I  dc;rfees:  cast  lilt  linl<s  Id  iiieaii(h'r  post  set  helwecn 
Sectitiiis  2(1  and  27. 

Xovcinber  S.  IS.'Ki.  William  lirooUlicId  '  tiled  with  tlic  Itecordcr 
iifSt.  .loseph  Coniity.  I.atliroj)  M,  Taylor,  a  plat  of  Ihc  lowii  of 
St.  .loscpli.  e.xtcndini;-  m»ii11i  frdiii  the  landiii;^'  as  localcd  in  his 
(i(>ld  notes  ot"  tlie  ineaiiderin;j,'s  of  the  St  .  .losejili  river.  So  there 
are  lo-dav  in  existence,  two  distinct  dociiniciils  locating'  tlie  exact 
spot  of  tlie  laiidiii;^'  on  the  St.  .loscpli.  Tlie  following'  is  a  rcdiu-ed 
copy  of  the  j)!a1  of  the  town  of  St.  Joseph,  as  drawn  by  IJrook- 
licld.  It  represents  onlv  a  portion  of  the  plat  ;  the  pai"t  pasted  to 
a  leaf  in  IJook  -A  .  'Plie  reinaiiider  of  the  plat  has  been  torn  out 
and  lost. 


'<^^  ^^^y  -^-^  ^4^.^: 


';f 


o/tx^ 


/^ 


-/?«/ 


^7"^.^ 


The  Sou'li  r>eiid  Daily  Tribune  of  .laiiuary  2(1.  ISK,").  speakino- 
of  the  rccordiiie' of  this  old  plat,  says:  ••One  fact  i-onnectcd  with 
the  i-ecordiiiir  of  this  first  town,  is  of  u'reat  importance  as  ii  link 
in  history:  foi'  it  establish(>s  beyond  (piestion  the  exact  location  of 
the  old  [lortao-,'  ,,r  the  St.  Joseph  river:  the  spot  where  La  Salle 
landed  in  1(17!)  In  the  Deed  liecord  of  the  County  Itecordcr's 
office,  iiook  A,  and  on  [lao'c  1.  is  a  rumpled,  mutilated  plat  of  the 
town  of  St.  Josej)!!,  as  laid  out  by  William  Jirouklield.     All  is  torn 

1.  Wiiliiun  Hrooklicld.  u  surveyor  in  tlie  jioverniiieiit  employ.  s(!llle(l  in 
this  \YM-\  of  ludiiuiii.  ami  Ituiit,  a  pioneer  home  on  ihe  St.  .loseph 
rivor  near  th(i  portaj^-c  landing. 

16 


au-i.y  by  tVcM,u,.n1  iKin.llino-.  unfnl,li„n-  an.l  fol.lin-  ..f  th,.  rou-h 
"iup,  ...xcept  11...  ,Ktrf  ,,;,s1  .  I  to  11,,.  b  ,  ,1,,  u-hicii  roMtiti...  tin.  nv"- 
<'"d:  and  tluMV  n.ay  hr  s.mm,  plainly  indira1<.,l  l.v  i...n-n.arks.  a1 
^''•'  P"i'>t  (farll.rst  uvst,  uMhmv  thr  str.an,  rur^.s  lo^vanl  th.- 
noi-Ui.  11„.  porta-v  of  ll„.  Kankakv,..  h  is  in  th.-  ,.MM,t,.r  of  lot  4  • 
The  arlicl,>  c.niinnrs  as  rnllows:  ••Xu,]oul,t  ll.is  lirsl  .sucv..y<.r 
<'f«'urnM.inn.  att.-art...!  I.y  tl...  striking.  u,,„tv  of  this  spot ;  kiunv- 
iM<r  lis  lnst.,ri<-  valm.  as  tlu'  abidinu-  ,,|ac,.  ..f  tli."  Indian  for  ,.(mi- 
turuvs.  and  as  the  whit,,  mans  lirsl  Ian  lin,^-  pla-,.  ,>„  the  scil  of 
St.  Josopli  c.unty.  f.,n(lly  ,lr.-anird  of  buildinj.-  \u>vv  a  memorial 
in  th(>  shape  ,)f  a  t(uvn  of  a  lat,-r-day  civilizat i,.n.  ■' 

The  portao-o  landino-,  Nu-aL-d  and  r(>c(Mitly  v,.riti(.d  by  a  sur- 
v.'y  made  fr.mi   Bror)kli,.lds  field   notes,  is   just  to  the  east  of  the 
I'ij--  red  barn,  on  the  Miller  property,  south  of  the  r.>sid,.M,-,..  and 
at  the  foot  of  a  beautiful  ravine  deelininir  uviitly  from   th,'  hiu-}, 
K-round.      At  the  water's  ,.duv.  stn.t.-hin,-'  back  at  least  one  lunul- 
red   feet,    is  a   low  sandy  terrae(>  ,)f  reee.it  formation.      The  ap- 
proach to   this  pieturo.s(p)e  ravine  is  oi)scuve  and  hard  to  locate 
from   the   river:   th(.   view  b..ino-  obstructed    by   the   foivst  trees. 
Many  of  the  oriu-inal  trees  are  still   standin<rrwhite-oaks.  water- 
elm,  wild  locusts  and  many  red-c'dars.  the  latter  evidently  boin<r 
the  proo-,.„y  of  a  „.,.and  old  ,-,.dar.  a  stately  immarch  of  the  port" 
aire  landing,  which  reaches  to  th,'  heio-ht  of  over  sixty  feet,  with 
u,  o-ii'th  of  more  tlian  eio-ht  f(.et  at  its  base. 

The  red  cedar  {jnhi/»ruH  lun/iNiuiKi)  is  known  to  be  one  of 
our  slowest  o-rowinor  Hves:  seldom  reachino-  the  size  of  thi.s  giant 
of  its  s])eeies:  and  then  only  after  many  centuries  of  its  life.     The 
age  of  this  trei>  is  eslimated  as  at  least  eiglit  hundred  years  and 
wa.s  fjuite  a  tree  at  the  time  of  the  discovery  of  the  continent.     A 
white  oak  of  about   the  same  girth,  which  stands  in  its  vi.-inity. 
and   whose  growth   would   b,.  more   ra[)id.  has   b,.en  estimated  at 
from  four  hundred  to  four  hundivd  and  fifty  years  of  ag(..     The 
trunk  of  the  old  ct'dar.  which  stands  just  at  the  enti-ance  to  the 
ravim^  and  vcM-y  close  to  the  old    water  line,  has  been  covered  by 
the  sand  and  soil  washed  from  above,  to  a  dcptli  of  between  seven 
and  eight  feet.      In  fact  a  iiuml)er  of  neighboring  trees  have  been 
similarly  covered.       R(>eently,    June,    1S97.- tlie  soil    around   the 


I.     This  arti(de  wii.s  written  l)y  Richard  H.  Lyon,  of  South  Heiid,  Ind. 
'i.     Thia  old  cedar  was  uncovered  by  Otto  M    Knoblock  and  the  writer. 


17 


old  ri'daf  wtis  rciiutvi'd  and  tlir  mcii-^invtiu'iils  as  stated  wciv 
iiuido.  As  llie  trunk  was  laid  baiv.  tlicrc  was  revealed  soniothinj^' 
that  liUG  been  lost  to  vi(>vv  for  a  hundred  years  or  more.  Throe 
<;-reat  blaze-niarUs.  t'orinino-  a  rude  eross,  nuidc^  by  a  wido-bliided 
axo,'  such  as  weiv  in  common  us(>  in  the  French  colonies.  Flere 
was  wliat  we  had  suspected,  on(>  of  the  wittu'ss  tives  nuirUed  no 
no  d,oubt  in  tlie  early  days  to  locale  the  poi-tao-c  landino;.  The 
blaze-marks  are  wide  and  deep  and  show  u-reat   a^'c.      It   is   well 


1)1(1  cedar  lit  porta>jri'  luadiiiK  ^f    wilier  ruilu  blazed  cross. 

known  that  the  red  cedar  is  among  the  slowest  of  woods  to  decay, 
owino-  to  the  preservative  qualities  of  the  resin  it  contains.  1 
need  hardly  say  how  long  ago  these  uuirks  were  placed  upon  this 
tree.  It  was  certainly  many  decades  ago:  and  it  is  very  probable 
that  this  was  one  of  tlie  trees  marked  by  Father  (iabriel.  who  was 
at  the  portage  with  Hennepin  and  La  Salle  in  l(i7!(,  and  who  it  is 
stated  by  Hennepin,  in  his  ••Description  de  la  Louisiane."  marked 
several  trees  so  that  it  would  be  easier  to  find  the  portage. 

William  Brookfield  in   runnina-  his  section  lines  crosses  the 

I.     La  Salle's  party  no  doubl  had  with  them  shipbuilder's  wido-V)lai.ed 
axes.      See  FI.  W.  lifckwitirs  arlicle:  '*  F.and  of  the  Tllini." 


18 


1 


p«>i'1:iuv  trail  t..  tli,-  Kaiikak,.,.  an. I  .•a.vlully  hutr.  its  position  ami 
<lii"<'«'ti"ii  in  two  s(.))ar;it('  ni.Mnorandii  as  follows: 

I.  On  s.Mith  l.onndary  n{  S.vtion  :;:;.  'rown>lii|.  ;;s,  Noiij, 
lianwv  L'  ,as1;  al    II  rliains.  !i;;  link. ;  a  n.a.l  .-oursr  >oiit  li- w.-si . 

-■  ^'"  '•:iri<l..ni  Ih.Iw.mmi  S.vtions  s  and  17.  Touns|ii|.  .".T. 
Xoftli  K'anov  i'  ,.ast  :  ,,,sl  .".r.  chain.  ;  K'ankakrr  landin-  r..ad. 
citiivst'  soiit  li. 

!*^<'<'  rna|)  on  following;-  iiaiiC 

TIic  Incation  of  tlir  portaov   landinu^  ,.,,    tlir  St.  .Iom-|.Ii  riwr. 
iis  has  l)(...n  stated  in  this  articl...  and  the  .-onrs,-  of  tin-  trail  indi- 
catrd    just     al)o\(\     is     corroh.. rated     l.y    sue;,     trust  w-rtliy    wit 
ncsscs  as  Mr.  Jacoi,  Kitt.-r.'  wlr..arricd  tlirdiain  lor  |{r..o"kli<'ld  : 
Mr.  I{(.l),.rt    <;.    Cissne."  wh..   lived    wry  n.-ar   the  |,orta-e  landinu' 
in  1S;{I,  and  who  durino  that    yar  nn-l  a  French  trader,   with  his 
Indian  wife  and  children  at    tiie  |)ortaut.  landino'  and  haule.l  theii- 
efTeets    o\er    this    trail    to    llic    iandinu-    on    tli.'     Kankakee    river. 
IJrooklields  location  of   the  porta-v    landing'  is  aUo  c,,rrol.orate(| 
l)y  Mrs.  .lames   IJooteii.  of  Xcw  Car, isle,    who  li\,.d.   when  a  ^irl. 
where  the  James   li.   Millci'  residen.'c   now  stands;  by  .Mr.  Ceornv 

1.  'JMie  venerable  .liu'oh  Kilter  told  tlicwritci-  in  t  li.' sprint  of  IsnT.  that 
he  lielped  William  Hr.M.klidd,  tl,c  ( -ovcrmnent  Snrveyor.  in  Ids 
work.  He  tiai-ried  the  eliain  I',;.-  him.  lie  also  said  that  tin-  lan.l- 
inu-  to  the  Kiinkake(>  was  ;ii  the  point  as  located  in  Hrooklield's 
notes,  and  the  |)atli  led  t(»  the  south-west  to  a  little  lirMncli  of  the 
Kankakee.  Whou  ask.>d  if  he  knew  of  any  Indian  trail  Icidin- 
west  from  tlieold  earthworks  on  the  .lenninys  place,  nesajd:  "  I 
hidlt  my  little  cahin  in  the  cinmlar  enclosure  in  |s:;n:  iiv.-d  there 
for  se\t'ral  years,  and  then  moved  one  nule  north,  where  I  huilt  ,i 
more  permanent  r<>sideiice.  I  am  perfectly  familiar  with  all  lie- 
eountry  thereahout-:  knew  all  my  neiyhhors.  jind  I  never  savv  or 
heard  of  a  portaj^c  trail  Icailiiij^' west  to  Chain  hakes.'" 

2.  .\Ir.  Kohci-t  (;  ('issue,  who  has  resided  on  I'orlai^c  I'rairie  since  |s;:|. 
said  that  the  porta-^c  landin;^-  was  directly  east  of  tlie  residence 
of  .lami's  K.  .Miller.  "It  was  on  the  west  hank  of  the  .St  .Joseph 
river,  at  the  foot  of  a  natm-al  ravine.  I  hauled  the  ellecis  of  a 
l'"r<'ncli  trader  from  this  point  over  the  old  trail  to  the  laiidiiii^ on 
the  Kaidvakee  in  |s:!i.  |  know  n((lhin<'-  of  any  ti-ail  to  the  (irape- 
vine  oi' Chain  Lakes,  and  do  not  thitds  here  was  one.  There  was 
a  trail  leading  soutli  fi'om  Leopold  I'okajion's  villa;^e.  on  the  ed;;v 
of  .\liehi<ian,  by  way  of  the  .Military  road  to  Chain  Lake,  and  Said> 
Town.  ' 

19 


RANOt 


CxPLANATfON.  =s  iNDICATt  OlO  RoAOS  ChoSSING 

5LCT10N  LiNts  OcTwtCN  Stc's,33ANo4^— 8anoI7. 


The  Historic  Portage  Trail  of  La  Salle  and  Charlevoix. 


20 


■ 


Witter;  Mrs.  (icnrui.  Witter:'  .Mi',  .hic.tl.  ('ripe:'  Mr.  Wiliiiim  ( ». 
.laek.soii  and  l>y  iiiaiiy  nlliei-  well  i<ii()vvr)  pioneer  sri tiers. 

A  earel'ul  e.Naminatioii '  (if  the  (idd  nidcs  (if  llir  ^rovernineiit 
survey  reveal  but  one  porta^ic  trail  Iroin  tlie  Si.  .In>cpli  river:  and 
no  j)ioneei'  settler  in  St.  .losepli  Comity  lias  kiiowled;;e  ol"  any 
otlier  one  Hence  we  are  led  to  lielieve  that  tliis  trail,  so  car*'- 
fnlly  outlined  when  tin'  eoiiiitry  was  iinelian^^cd  and  aiitlienlicalfd 
by  livin<^  witnesses,  the  shortest,  the  most  convciiient  at  all 
seasons,  one  vvitii  very  few  oltstacles  and  which  liarnioni/.es  in 
every  particular  with  the  (h'seriptions  by  the  earliest  writciN.  was 
the  one  use  foi'  aji'es  and  tlie  one  that  was  traversed  bv  tlie  earlv 
e.Nploi'ers  and  inissionai'ies  and  by  tliein  made  liistorie. 

In  llie  .lesuit  Kelatioiis  de  la  Xouvelle  l-'i^ancc.  1»!7.'!  ItlT."). 
(ori;j,'inal  liy  Claude  Dablon  pr<'served  at  the  Colh-u-c  Ste.  Marie  at 
M(Miti'eal).  there  is  an  account  of  Mar(|Uet  tes  death,  but  no  indii-a- 
tion  is  <fiv<Mi  of  his  I'oute  from  tlie  mission  at  Kaskaskia;  the  only 
mention  of  a  route  being  that  the  Indians  who  accompanied  him 
went    beyond  a  portage,   where  they  left  him  on  his  journey. 

Mr.  Justin  Winsoi'.  libi'arian  of  Harvard CoUe^^c.  a  most  careful 
investi^^atoi'  and  the  author  of  a  number  of  standard  historical 
works,  makes  the  followin<i'  statement  in  a  letter  as  follows: 

Camhiuixik,  M.\ss  ,  March  2'.l,  IS'.Mi, 
Dk.m:  Sik  : — 

In  my  Cartier  to  Krontenac.   I   said  that  Marcpiette  retui-iicd 

by  the  porta<;'e,   without   indieatin^j,-  which  one,   because  1  could 

lind    no   positive   evidence   to  establish    that    point.      Returnint^ 

tradei's  and  missionaries  usually  followed  the  eastern  side  of  lake 

Miehia'iiii  l)ecause  they  trot  some  aid  from  a  north-flowinir  shore 


1.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Georye  Witter,  residents  of  I'ortaye  Prairie  for  yeui's. 

Vioth  say  they  never  heard  of  a  portajje  path  by  way  of  Chain 
Lakes.  If  there  had  l)een  one,  it  could  not  have  been  used  to  any 
extent.  Mr.  Witter  remembers  distinctly  the  ])ortaye  huidinj^- 
east  of  .huiies  Millei-'s  house.  He  liad  washed  sheep  tliere  many 
times  in  an  early  day.  The  path  leads  south-west  to  the  Kankakee. 
There  was  no  trail  in  any  direction  leading  from  the  little  brook 
known  as  Witter's  Branch. 

2.  Mr.  .Jacob  Cripe  says  that  when  he  was  a  boy  the  porta;j:e  was  always 

referred  to  as  the  Indian  jiath.  The  deep  <?ulley  on  the  Myler 
])lace  was  washed  out  in  tlie  early  si.Kties. 

.'}.     A  careful  examination  of  the  field  notes  of  Brooktield,  was  made  by 
the  Hon.  David  11.  Leeper. 


SI 


(  iiiTcnt    (III    lli;it    li;iiik    nl'    tlif    hiLc;    ;iii<l    lor    a    lilxc    rt'aMiii    llit-y 
iiMiallv  a(l\aiiif(l  towariK  tlip  llliiHii>  cuiiitry  liy  lln'  ufsltTii  >.i(lf 
of  tilt'  laUt'.       Ill  tlial  ca^c  lliry  iialiiiallv  n>r(l.   in  ;^<>iii;i'.   llic  Clii 
vH'U>  itortujic.  and   wmilil  natnrallv  ii>f.   in   I'ct  iiniiim'.   llic  St.  Jo 
sc|ili  |Mirta;^t'.      Slill   tlifV  cnuld   |»a>>>-   n.trlli    liy  Iln'  ('liiiaj,!'  |Mti't 
ay".',  and   inakr   llic  liicnit  of  I  lie  >oiii  licni   ciii'vcof   Ilic  lakf.       It 
s^'tMll^    |)os«Niltlr    that     .Mai'(|nrl  tc    did    tlii-.    Init    |irolialilt'    that    lit' 


\\t 


nt  rmrlli  l)\   llic  oilier  portaLi't'  i  St .  .lo>r|»l 


I  I 


\'r!'V    t  nilv.  .Il   ^TIN    W'iNSoU. 


To  Ceo    A  .  liaUcr,  Soutli  IJriid.   Ind 

In  rradin;^'  llii-^  >tatc'ntMit  we  niii^t  hear  in  mind  that  lln'rc 
is  prohaldv  lo  dav  no  om-  who  i^  l»cttrr  informed  reo'ardinj;'  the 
early  liistoi-y  of  Anieriea  than  Mr.  \Vin>or.  His  o|tinloii  as  to  the 
use  of  our  St  .losepli  ri\i'r  |»;(rlau'i'  l»y  Marijiiette  on  his  return 
\o\aiie  in  li'iT.').  i>  shared  l»\'  •>iieli  eminent  authorities  as  Mr.  .loliii 
(iilliiai'V  Siiea  :  Hon.  'riioiiias  W'eadock.  author  of  the  Life  of  Mar- 
(jnette;  l)\-  Mr.  ("harles  (Ireeii,  Serretarv  (>(  the  Mielii<j.\iii  Pion- 
eer and  Historical  ^iociet  V  .  Ity  .Mr.  Ivlward  (i  Mason,  President 
of  the  ('hica;io  Historical  Society;  hy  .Mr.  I{.  II  ("lark",  and  hy 
inaiiN'    other    noted    historians. 

.Mr.    .lohii    (lilniarv  Shea,  in  his  ••  I  liscovery  and   Ivxploration 
of    the   .Mississippi    N'alley."    includiii<i,'   the    --Life   of   Martpict  te. "' 
puu-(>    ."(L'ti.    savs;      --He   seems    to   have    taken    the  wav  l)\    the  St 
.loseph's    river   and    reached   thet'astern  shore  of    Laki'  .Miclii;L;'un. 
aloiij.:'  wliicli  he  had  net    vet    sailed.' 

Mr.  Tiiomas  We. (dock,  in  his  -Life  of  Mar(|Utdte.  "  says,  after 
•^pcakiiiu' (if  t!;"  i";iundin^'  l»y  Marcpudtc  of  the  Mission  of  the  Ini- 
mucnlate  Coiicepi  ion  i.f  tlie  Hlessed  X'irein  at  K'askaskia:  '-The 
ohject  he  iiati  cherished  for  vcars  was  attained  he  had  founded 
the  Illinois  mission.  His  work  was  done:  he  was  ready  to  die. 
Hut  he  wished  Iodic  amono-  his  bi'elhren.  with  the  rites  of  holy 
church:  so  he  set  out  on  his  return  voviijj,'e.  <;'oin*;'  hv  St.  .losej>li  s 
rivei-  and  the  eastern  .■^llore  of  fiake  Michi;!;aii.  (Jraduallv  liis 
streMi!;lli  failed,  and  at  last  he  had  1(»  he  lifted  out  of  the  canoe 
when  they  stojjjxHl  for  the  niolit.  He  calmly  contemplated  the 
approacliint^'  ehan^'e  with  that  pious  serenity  which  became  a 
Clivisliun  missionary.  It  is  a  characteristic  of  u-reat  nnnds. 
whtdher  pau-aii.  philosojiher  oi-  Christian    man.    that    they   (an   so 


i>2 


'""'^  '<|M.,.  H.s.fl,  vvitlinut  IVar.      IV, v  M,,r.,„Pl  t.  >,,n| f    his    ,„ 

I"'"*""'""-'    ••'"'■    '""I    ;i-'^'-    l'i>    iitt.-n.l;.„u    i„.trn..tM„..    s..    ..; ',. 

'lM'.Vtl..M.u.|„   Im.  u;,.  s,M.al.i.,.o|;.no,l,..r  .\V;,r  .  In- ,„■,  „„ ., 

"Ml"-  Sh...,,in.-  i;.,.,..  on  tin.  l.;n,l.>  nf  ulml  ,s  m,,,..  kn..u„  as 
I  '•'••'  .Man,n..n..  ri\..r.  |„.  ,li,.,|.  May  l>,  I.;;:.,  ayv.l  ;;s  yars  ' 
Near  llir  |,la,-..  ,,r   |,i.  ,l,,,t  1,  l,r  ua>    hiiri.-l   l.v    |,is   Uv;,   l.ni'.,. 


L''    lol 


'••^'"'■"^    "'"•"    "">     |'n.r....,|r,|    |nrl..n,ly    nn    thrir    .,uvu,'s     U>    the 
Si  raits. 

Tun  y-ar^  arirruar.l>  a  paiiy  nl  K-i.k;,k,,„s.  r,.nn..r  .li-.,i,,h.>. 
nf  Maninrtl...  >nn-ht  ..,,1  his  u-rav...  I'larino  hi.  hu,„..  i„a  l.inh 
I'ox  they  ivwivinly  ,mmi  v..y,.,l  th.-m    i,,  Si.    lu-nar... 

Ill  -'i  liist..ry  <.r    |;,.,Tirn  ronntv.    .Mi.hio;,,,,    ,M,l.lishr,|  in    |  »(, 
l.y   I).  W.  Knsiu.,,  A-  Co  .  „r    rhihHh.|,.hia,  s|-..akinu- ,.r    Man,,,,!  t,.'. 
liist    v.yaMvaii.l  t  !..■  ,.stal.ii>hii,..ni  of  hi.  mission.  uvli,Ml:      •Ahoni 
""'"'''''"''"'■    ■M"'il  •"•>'■'    "lit.  a,-...,ii|.,:i:i,.,i    |,v    hi>    two    Kn.,ir|, 

MUM).   I'i.M-n.  an.l  .iacpir..  and    with   x-vcr; ,'lian    -ni.h.s.    to  ^-o 

'"'  '''''^■';  ■^'''••'i.Uiin  l.y  a  (lillnvnt   roul.-  iVoni  th  .1  nnc  uhi.l,  h.-  ha.l 

|)uss.'(|  in  lii.s  |.ivvi..n.   joiM-nrys.   intm.lin-    to    .strike    IIm-   hike  on 

its  caslrrn  si.h-  an.)  to  pass  n..i't  liu  ard  al.-nu  thai  sh.nv  to  Mi.-hiili 

iiiiickiiuic,       Tlir  si.k   prirsl  and  Ids   party    to,.k    llrir    uay    up   Ihr 

'"'""'^  '■'\<'''  ^"  ""'  '"-""li   "f   iIh-    Kankak  -...    an. I    tlM-nc'.     np   th.. 

latlcr  slivani  1..  a    point    near    its    hrad.    \vIm.,v    they    landr.j   and 

'■r<..ss(.(l  a  ix.rlaov  of   liv,.  orsi.x    miles    in    l.-nnth,    u'hi,.h    l.i-onnht 

tlu'in  to  tlir  uat.«rs.,f  a  stivani  to  vvhicli    tli.-y    oav,.    tl„.    nani.~..f 

•liivci'of   the    Miamis.-   hc-ans,.   ih,.y    found    tlir   principa 

of   that   Indian  tribe  located  a  sJK.rt  distance  south  of   it.'        • . 'n 

I'liice  wlieiv  tlie  Jesuit  and   Ids    followers    readied    the   St.    .I..sc| 

i  Kiver  of  the  .Miainis)  is  near  the  present  city  of  South  IJeinh  hid 

ana.  and    from    that    point    they    passed    down    tlie    river    in    their 

'•aii.u's  toilsmoutji.  where  tlie  villa-v  of  St.  Joseph  now  stands.' 

Mr.   i:.    II.  Clark,    in    the   Catholic     World.    \'ol.    .W'j..    pan-,. 

<!!>!!.  .says   of   Manpieltes   return:      -Takiiiu-   tlie    way   of    tlie  SM. 

Josephs  river  and  tlie  eastern  slior,>  of    Lake  .MichiMjni    ■  .-tc 

Mr.  ("harles  (Ireen  says:  ••!  think  there  is  iiodouht  hut  that 
Mar(piott(>  (h>scended  the  St.  .Joseph  river  on  his  return  from  his 
last  voya<j;('. " 

Mr.  Thomas  Weadock  also  states,  in  a  hdter,   reu;ardiii<.-  Mar 
quettc's  route:      '-His  canoe  route  would  he  by  the  KaiikalTee  and 


\iiia:^e 
••The 
•h 
i 


23 


SI.  ,I<»^('|»li."  thus  iivoidiii^'  tlif  «l;iii;r»'i's  iiiul  pHviltloiH  ol'  the  v»»y- 
ii»r,.  iiround  the  hlcaU  and  muuI  diiiifd  soiitlirrn  curve  of  tlic  lakf. 

TlnTc  is  d(»  doubt  tliat  hi>  Indian  "[uidrs  were  lauiiliiir 
with  this  route,  and  Ion;;  Unew  ol'  tlic  easy  iiccess  to  I  lie  eastern 
>hores  of  Lake  Michiejan  l»y  way  of  tlie  Kankakee  and  the  j»ort- 
a"c  lo  the  St.  Joseph  river,  and  in  their  solicitation  for  in  iiealth 
told  him  of  the  beauties  tif  this  route  and  of  the  abundance  of 
'-iinie:  and  reineniberiny;  the  ice  bound  c(»a>t  .ind  the  scarcity  of 
food  alon<--  the  Chicago  route,  the  sick  and  dislu»iirtened  priest 
was  easilv  won  over  to  the  advisability  of  taking'  this  route 

The  weight  of  lestinioiiy  of  the  be^t  authority,  is  that  .\hir- 
(|uettc  made  use  of  the  St.  .loseph-K'ankakec  portage. 

H  lias  been  su^'y,ested  that  when  the  Northern  Indiana  His- 
torical Soi'iety  murks  with  a  inonumciit  the  historic  hio;liway.  via 
the  luinkakee  and  St.  Joseph  river,  the  name  of  the  illu>ti-ious 
Jesuit  be  inscrilied  thereon  with  the  name  of  the  brave  explorer. 
La  Salle. 

The  main  events  sub.>e(|ueiit  to  Li  Salles  advent  on  Tjake 
.Micliioan.'  it  is  to  be  presumed,  are  known  to  most  of  us.  Hence 
I  will  conline  this  article  to  (h'tuils  l)eai'in^'  more  or  loss  on  Lake 
Michi<ian.  the  St.  Joseph  river  and  the  porta<;t'  to  the  Kankakee, 
in  which  La  Salle  and  othei-s  took  part,  in  which  we  art>  more 
particularly  interested. 

H.  W.  Beekwith.  meml)tM'  of  the  Chicago  Historical  Society, 
in  an  article  on  -'Land  of  tlu>  lllini,"  says:  ••  La  Salle's  canoes, 
(which  had  Ikmmi  loaded  with  the  foro-c.  bellows,  anvil,  blacksmith 
tools,  iron  for  nails,  an  outfit  of  ship's  earpontei*  and  joiner  tools, 
a  pit-saw  for  sawin»>'  planks,  with  arms  and  merchandisi').  with 
fourteen  nu'n  and  tlii'ee  missionaries,  havinti'  coasted  the  west 
shore  and  southern  trend  of  Lake  Michiijan.  ari'ived  at.  the  St. 
Joseph  rivei'on  Nov.  1st.  1(I7!I.  Here  they  should  have  met  fienry 
de  Tonty,  the  second  in  conunand,  whose  division  was  to  conit'  by 
the  eastern  shore  of  the  lake,  the  much  shorter  route.  He  hud 
been  sent  up  to  th(>  trade  and  mission  post  at  the  head  of  the 
Sault  St.  Marie,  to  catch  and  brin<;'  in  two  men  who  hud  run  uwuy 
fi'om  service.  This  work  and  a  series  of  mishaps,  needless  liere 
to  recount,  detained  him  and  seriously  delayed  the  whole  e.xpedi- 

1.     See  }\irk)nan's  Dlseovery  of  the  (Jreat  West,  and  Spark's  Life  of 
( 'hevalier  de  La  Salle. 

S4 


tion        Wl.il..   wiiili.iu^   r.„.  T..nty.    I.u  Sail viipird   his   hmmi   in 

l)uil(liiiu-  a  slorcli.Mis,.  and  fort'  on  liic  mMvii  of  a  san.lliill  that 
skirted  the  soiilh.-rn  sliorr  of  the  rivers  ni  .nth.  to  >e-ve  lor  u 
seeiirity  for  th.'  (Irillin.'  uith  il„.  mi|. plies  it  wus  to  hrin;^^.  us  well 
us  a  place  of  relii^re  l\.r  lli.-  mm  in  case  of  need.  'Hiis  work 
was  called  Kort  Miairn.  To  assure  a  safe  harbor  for  the  vessel. 
Til  Salle  sounded  the  riv.-r  mouth  and  marked  its  either  side  with 
two  tall  poles  will,  bearskin  i)endaiits  and  with  Imk.vs  ull  alonj;. 
Filially  t(»v/ards  the  last  of  November.  Tonty  came  with  all  his 
nien;aiidon  December  third,  the  united  force,  iiumberinjr  t  went  v 
ci;^'ht  all  told,  and  eiuht  canoes,  be^an  the  ascent  of  the  St. 
Joseph.  Koni-  men  were  left  behind  ;  tw<.' at  the  fort  to^ive  notice 
in  case  the  Inwpiois  sava^vs  invaded  the  Illinois  country,  as  F^a 
Salle  feared.  The  other  two.  Nicolas  Laurent,  nicknamed  \ai 
ChajM'lle.  and  Noel  le  IJIanc.  a  ship-carpenter,  were  to  <»-o  back 
lookino-  for  ilu>  (irini,,  as  far  as  .Mackinac,  and  if  they  found  it.  to 
inform  the  pilot  of  the  arrunirements  and  assist  him  in  tniidinir 
the  vessel  into  the  harboraj^e  named.  After  tlie  portage  from  the 
St.  Joseph  was  made,  and  the  Kankakee  and  Illinois  rivers  were 
coui'sed,  the  voyaeors  came  to  the  e-n-at  Illinois  villao-e  that  skir- 
ted the  northern  shore  for  nearly  two  miles  down  toand  ojiposite 
le  Koelier  (the  rtu-ks,  or  Starved  Rock.)" 


Kiic  sliiiilf  ol  ■.ijfiialiiic  ti)  iIcimI  Hiitliii  at  I  In-  iiiwutii  iiT  iii.-  .i| ., !.■..•, ,li  l{i\  it  Iici'omiIht  :.',  liW2 
wlit'li  l.iiHiillr  I'lHivi'.vrd  i-i'ilniii  laiiriM  lo  M.  Aiwiiult.  '  ' 


1.  A  lireastwork  of  liewn  lojcs.  enclosing,'  a  space  eijifhty  by  forty  feet. 

whi«'h  for  ;^i'eiitt'i"  .secnu'ity  was  surruinnii'd  by  palisades.  800  Hen- 
nepin's Description  de  la  Loiusiaiie. 

2.  La  Salle's  vessel  was  iianmd  the  Grillin.  in  coinpliiiient  to  the  Coimt 

de  Froiitenac.  the  (Jovernoi"  of  Canada,  whose  armorial  bearings 
were  adorned  l)y  two  <;rininH  as  supporters 

3.  This  is  aceordiny  to  the  statement  of  Le  ('lei'C(|.     Hennepin  does  not 

mention  tins  fat.'t,  and  it  is  not  prol)able  that  so  small  a  number 
would  have  been  left  at  the  fort,  exposed  to  the  attacks  of  roviny 
savages.  There  seems  to  be  no  <,'-ood  reason  for  (luestioninj^  the 
accuracy  of  lfennei)in's  narrative,  coneenuny  La  Salle's  first  trip  on 
the  St.  Joseph  river.  l*\)rty-two  years  afterwards,  Charlevoix 
traveled  over  the  .same  route  and  his  description  of  natural  objects, 
the  course  of  the  river  and  distances,  ayree  very  closely  with  that 


of  !• 


ennepin. 


25 


Ill 

I 

III 


r.a  Sallos  |)iirtv  winch  iis.viid,.,!  Ihr  SI.  .loscpli  rivi-r  is  vari^ 
nusly  .'stimat.'d  l.y.lim.iviit  a.it  lu.rit  i.'S.  at  r,,„ii  1  wnity  riu'l.t  to 
tliiNy  Conr.  K,.li„ui,iu-.  |  o'lvr  tl.cir  names  s.i  far  as  can'  l.c'iscor- 
tiiiiied: 

IJtMK'  (Johcrt  rav(>li(M-.  Si(«iir  (|(.  La  Salic. 

<'''"Vi'li.T  Henry  ,1c  Tonty.   I.u  Salic  s    Li.Mitciiant.  an   hali:.. 

I',v  l.inli.  who   had   l.ccn   for  several  years  in  the  FrciK^l 

army  and  had  lost  a  haii,^  in  th,>  s,>rvic.>.        ||c  was  a  sc... 

"!■  the  u-rcat  (inaiicier  who  invented  the  Tontine,  a  method 

of  life  insurance,  adojitcd  in   j-'raiicc. 

<»>'>-<>"i"la-'ne,h  i  wee- vvve-le-meek  ,  a  Mohe<ran  Indian,  and  La 
Salle  s  ^'ui,!!'. 

•'-IniRoisromlct,  La  Sallcsi'rivatcSccrclarv  and  Accountant 

1^    Kspcrance  de  la  Mrie.   La  Salle's  l.,,dy  servant. 

Katli(>r  Louis  F^eiin(>pin. 

neither  fiahriel  de  la  [Jihourde. 

I'^ather  Zenolie  Menibrc.  relio'ioiis  teacher. 

Joan  Russell  (La  liousseliere ,  La  SaUe's  part  ner  at   La  Chine 

Ahehel   Accault  (Ako,.  afterwards  a  trader. 
•'<>'"'    '•'•aiicis   IJourdon.  afterwards   Sieur  dAntrav    a    son  of 
•'•>lin    Uourdon.   Attorney  (ieneral  and  Chief  Ln-nneer  of 
Canada.  " 

Anthony  Auo-uclle.  (|>i,.ard  du  Cay.) 

Ktieiine  Renault,  the  Parisian. 

Ui  Violette.  of  Lyons. 

Moyse  Hilleivt     the  master  ship  huilder. 

•I'-aii  le  Mire,  a  ship  carpenter. 

•'>-'i"  Mi.'Ileor.  ,r.a  Korue).  the  nail  makcM-. 

Andrew  Ffenaull. 

Colin  Cre\-ell. 

Nicholas  Crevell. 

Mi'hol  IS  liaurent. 
•liieipies  Messier. 
-loan  Ri(  heon. 
Martin  Chart 
Xieholas  I) 
Joan  La  C 


ler 


uplessi,' 


roi.x. 


Michel  Maril.ault. 
Bois  clArdeoiie. 


26 


;f<'l'"  'J'l'nary  Slu-a,  on  pa^v  tluv.  hundro.l  un.i  tuvnUMlnvo 
'•<  Ins  work,  .n1ilh.,l  -11,.  Calholu-  ('hu.vl,  in  Colonial  Duns' 
^.<ys:  ••La  Sallrs  party:  arronipani,.]  by  a  X.w  Knu-|an,l  Inilian 
M-UHl...  rrarluno^,!,,  n.onth  of  thrSt.  .losrpi,  riv.r,  l.a  Sallr  ,lnr 
.MO-  tlu.  n.onlh  of  Nov,.,n.u>r.  l.;7!.  1  hr.u-  up  a  ru.lMor,  and  in  i1 
'•"•'^  ^^  ''^"•'^'  '•"'»"•  II'"  iirsl  Catholi,.  Clnir..!,  in  11,.  louvr  penin- 
sula ot  .MiHu^an.  Il  was  apparent  ly  .l..,li.ah..Mo  S,.  A  nihonv  of 
'  '"l"a,  as  In.  had  promised  on  thr  voya-r  to  dcdiral.  tl,,.  'first 
'■liapcl  to  that  saint." 

Torontinu,.  th(.  narrative  of  this  trip,  |  u-iil  rrvirw  the  v.r- 
s.ons  la.mhar  to  .\nn>riran  n-adrrs:  ritin^  lir.t  Iron.  .In.tin  Win- 
sors   ••Cartiei-  io  Krontcnac'  pane  L'dl. 

-On  n.-cMnhrr  :\n\.  KIT:.  La  Sail,  with  riu-ht  cano.s  and 
tliirty-llir.M.  men,  start..]  np  tin.  St.  .los.ph  riv(>r.  Th.r,.  was 
"'*^'""-  ^"  '■'"''"'•  ^'""'"  i"  ""•  str.t.h  of  dr.arv  li.l.js  and  bar. 
wnod.s  which  lin.d  th.  riv..rs  <.hann.l.  His  an.xi.t  v  nbont  th. 
(.rdhn  weio-hed  him  down  t  Iirouu'lmnt  th.  s.v.ntv  sad'n.ih-s  For 
a  whil,.  h.  .h.spair.d  of  lindin.'  th.  portao-.;  at  last  it  was  di.s.ov- 
rr.d.  and  th.r.  was  ;.  s.vere  haul  owr  liv.  niil(>s  ..f  slill.m.d  ooz. 
When  th.y  once  mor.  lannehed  th.-ir  ran.u-s  ,.n  Il„.  Kankakee, 
tlicy  slipp.vi  alono-  with  ti„.  w..|<.,nu.  current  throuuh  op.m  prai- 
ries." •-'II 

From  Winsors  ••Xai'rativ.  and  Triti.al  Flistorv  of  .\nu>ri.a.' 
Vol  IV.  I'ao-.  21^;  ,,,|ition  L^S  L  •■Th..y  now  toovth.r  w.nt  up 
the  St.  .To.s.ph  River  and.  .rossino-  th.'  porta.uv.  lann.h.d  th.ir 
canoes  on  th.  Kankuk...  ' 

On  pan-.  2.").  Mr.  Winsor  in  his  work  •Th.  .Mississippi  Lasin '' 
says:  --In  th.  south.ast  ano|.  of  th..  lake  ( .MicliinM,i ),  wa>thc 
portao-,.  of  the  Si.  .|..scph  riv.-r.  whi.-h  La  Sail.-  was  mu.-h  a.-.-us- 
toin.Ml  1.,  trav(.r>,..  Tlu«r..  was  by  it  ab..ut  lour  mil..s  ..f  ,  arriaov 
t.)  th(>  K'ankakce." 

Fi-ancis  I'arkman  in  his  ••  l)is.-ov.>ry  .)f  the  (-'r.-at  W.sl." 
says  : 

••H.'.  (La  Salle)  push...!  on.  how.\  .'r,  .-ii-clino^  ar.um.l  th. 
s.)iith.rn  sh.>r(.  of  Lak(>  Michigan,  till  h,.  r(>ach..<l  th."  ni..utli  .)f  the 
St.  Jos.'ph.  Here  T..nty  was  t..  have  i-."ioin..d  him.  with  1w(.nty 
men.  inakin.^  his  way  r,.om  .Mi.'hillima.kina.-.  al..n.^  th..  ..astcrii 
sh.u-e  of  th.  lak.;  but  th..  r.'n.hv.vous  was  a  solit ud.;  Tout v  was 
nowhere  t.)  be  seen.     II  was  the  lirst  of  .November.     Wint.'r  was  at 


s>7 


hand  and  tho  streams' would  soon  be  frozen.  The  men  clamored 
to  o-o  forward,  uruiiiii-  that  they  should  starve  if  they  could  not 
reaeh  the  villasre  of  the  Illinois  before  the  tribe  scattered  for  the 
winter  hunt.  La  Salle  was  ine.\orablt>.  If  they  should  all  desert, 
he  said.  he.  with  his  Mohe^'an  hunter  and  tlie  three  friars,  would 
still  remain  and  wait  for  Tonty.  The  men  grumbled,  but  obeyed; 
and.  to  divert  their  thoughts,  lie  set  them  at  building  a  fort  of 
timber,  on  a  I'isino-  trround  at  the  mouth  of  the  river. 

'•They  had  spent  twenty  days  at  this  task,  and  their  work- 
was  well  advanced,  when  at  length  Tonty  apjieared.  He  brought 
with  him  only  half  of  his  men.  Provisions  had  failed;  and  the 
rest  of  ills  party  had  been  left  thirty  leagues  l)ohind,  to  sustain 
themselves  by  hunting.  La  Salle  told  him  to  return  and  hasten 
tliem  forward.  He  set  out  with  two  mi'n.  .\  violent  north  wind 
arose.  He  tried  to  run  his  canoe  ashore  through  the  breakers. 
The  two  men  could  not  manage  their  vessel,  and  he  with  his  one 
hand  could  not  help  them.  She  swamped,  rolling  over  in  the 
surf.  Guns,  batju'aov  and  i)povisions  were  lost:  and  the  three 
voyagers  returned  to  the  Miamis.  subsisting  on  acorns  by  the 
way.  Happily,  the  men  left  behind,  excepting  two  deserters, 
succeeded,  a  few  days  after,  in  rejoining  the  party. 

•'Thus  was  one  heavy  load  lifted  from  the  heart  of  La  Salle. 
But  where  was  the  •  (irittin? "  Time  enough,  and  more  than 
enough,  had  passi'd  foi-  her  voyage  to  Niagara  and  back  again. 
He  scanned  the  dreary  horizon  with  an  anxious  eye.  No  return- 
ing sail  gladdened  the  watei'y  solitude,  and  a  dark  forboding 
gathered  on  his  heart.  Yet  farther  delay  was  impossible.  He 
sent  back  two  men  to  Michillimackinac-  to  meet  her.  if  she  still 
existed,  and  pilot  her  to  his  new  fort  of  the  Miamis,  and  then  pre- 
pared to  ascentl  the  river,  whose  weedy  edges  wert>  already 
glassed  with  thin  flakes  of  ice. 

On  the  third  of  December,  the  jiarty  re-embarked,  thirty- 
three  in  all.  in  eight  canoes,  and  ascended  the  chill  current  of  the 
St.  Joseph,  bordered  with  dreary  meadows  and  bare  gray  forests. 
When  they  approached  the  site  of  the  present  village  of  South 
Bend,  they  looked  anxiously  along  tlie  shore  on  theii'  right  to 
find  the  portage  or  path  leading  to  the  head(|uarters  of  the  Illi- 
nois. The  Mohegan  was  absent,  hunting;  and,  unaided  by  his 
practiced  eye,  they  passed   the  jtath  without  seeing  it.      La  Salle 

28 


I 


1iiii(1(h1  to  sciuvh  tlie  woods.  Hours  passed,  and  he  did  not  re- 
turn. Hennepin  and  Toi^ty  <.iv\v  uneasy,  diseinbariced,  bivou- 
aclced,  ordered  ^uns  to  be  lii-ed.  and  sent  out  men  to  .seour  the 
coiuitry,  Niu-ht  came.  I)ut  not  their  lo.st  leadei-.  Multled  in  their 
blankets  and  powdered  by  th(>  Ihiek-I'allino'  snow  Makes,  thev  sat 
ruefully  specuiatino- as  to  what  had  befallen  hinr.  nor  was  it  till 
four  oV'lock  of  the  next  afternoon  that  they  saw  him  approach 
ing  alono'  the  maru'in  i^f  th(>  river.  His  face  and  hands  were  be- 
smirched with  charcoal:  and  lu>  was  farther  decorated  with  two 
o])ossums.  which  huno-  from  his  belt,  and  which  he  had  killed  with 
a  stick  as  they  were  swingino-  head  downwards  from  the  bouo'h  of 
a  tree,  after  the  fashion  of  that  singular  animal.  He  had  missed 
his  way  in  the  for(>st.  and  had  been  forced  to  make  a  wide  circuit 
around  the  edge  of  a  swamp:'  while  the  snow,  of  which  the  air 
was  full,  added  to  his  perplexities.  Thus  he  pushed  on  throuo-h 
the  rest  of  the  day  and  the  greater  part  of  the  night,  till  about 
two  o'clock  in  the  morning  he  reached  the  riv(>r  atmin  and  liivd 
his  gun  as  a  signal  to  his  party.  Hearing  no  answerinu-  shot,  he 
pursut'd  his  way  along  the  baid^.when  he  presently  saw  the  oh>ain 
of  a  tire  among  the  dense  thickets  clost'  at  hand.  Not  doubt ino- 
that  he  had  ft)und  the  bivouac  of  his  party,  he  hastened  to  the 
spot.  To  his  surprise,  no  human  being  was  to  l)e  seen.  [Jndei- 
a  tree  beside  the  fire  was  a  heap  of  diy  grass  impressed  with  the 
form  of  a  man  who  must  liave  tied  l)ut  a  moment  befiu-e,  foi-  his 
couch  was  still  warm.  It  was.  no  doubt,  an  Indian,  ambushed  on 
the  bank,  watching  to  kill  some  passing  enemy.  La  Salle  called 
out  in  several  Indian  languages:  but  there  was  dead  silence  all 
around.  He  then,  with  ailmirable  coolness,  took  poss(>ssion  of 
the  (juarters  he  had  found,  shouting  to  their  invisibh"  proprietor 
that  he  was  about  to  slet>p  in  his  bed:  piled  a  barricade  of  bushes 
around  the  spf>t,  rekindled  the  dying  lir(\  warmed  his  benumbed 
hands,  stretched  himself  on  the  dried  grass  and  slept  undisturbed 
till  morning. 

The  Mohegan  had  I'cjoined  tlu^  party  l)(>fore  La  Salle's  return. 
and  witli  his  aid  the  portage  was  soon  found.  Hei'e  the  party 
encamped.  Tax  Salle,  who  was  fatigued.  occu])ied.  together  with 
Hennepin,  a  wigwam  covered  in  the  Indian  manner  with  mats  of 


1.     Evidently  the  swanij)  near  Mishavvaka.   Tndi.ana,   four  miles  aljove 


South  Bend. 


29 


I'cod.  Tlic  cold  t'oi'ccd  llioni  1o  kindlr  ;i  lii'c.  wliicli  Itcl'drc  duy- 
biviik  set  the  iiials  in  ;i  l)l;izi':  and  llic  two  .--Iccpcrs  narrowly 
escaped  Ix'ing  burned  alonji'  vvitli  their  lint, 

In  tlip  nioi'nini;'  tlie  party  slioiildered  tlieii'  canoes  and  l>a<4'- 
a'au'e  and  heii'an  tln'ir  niarcli  for  llie  soiire(>>  of  tlie  lliver  Illinois, 
some  live  nules  distant.  Around  tlieni  strcdelied  a  desolate  plain, 
half  eovei'ed  with  snow,  and  strewn  willi  the  sl<ul!s  and  l)ones  of 
huffulo:  while,  on  its  farthest  ver^'e.  they  could  see  the  lodi^'es  of 
tli(>  Miami  Indians,  who  had  made  this  place  tlieii-  al)>)de.  Tliey 
soon  reached  a  spot  where  the  oozv.  saiurated  soil  (piaked  beiu'atli 
their  tread.  .\'l  around  were  clumps  of  alder  bu^lles.  tufts  of 
raidc  ffi'ass  and  pools  of  water.  In  the  midst,  a  dark  and  laxy 
current,  winch  a  tall  man  mij^ht  bc>tri(ie.  crept  twisting-  like  a 
snake  ainontj  the  weeds  and  rushes.  Iici'(>  were  the  sources  of 
tlio  Kankakee,  one  of  the  heads  of  the  Illinois.  Th(>v  set  their 
canoes  on  this  thi'ead  of  wat(M-.  end)ark-ed  t  heir  lia^'u'aii'e  and  them- 
selves, and  pushed  down  the  sluo'o'isli  streamlet,  lookiiii:'.  at  a  I'M  tie 
distance,  like  men  who  sailed  on  land.  l-'ed  by  an  uiu-easin^- t  ri'>- 
ute  of  the  spon^'v  soil,  it  (piickly  widenc'l  to  a  river:  and  tliey 
tloated  on  tlieir  way  through  a  voiceless,  lifeless  solitude  of  dreary 
oak  barrens  or  boundless  mar>hes  overe'rowr,  with  reeds.  .At 
nio-ht.  tliey  built  their  lire  on  o-round  made  lirm  by  frost  and  biv- 
ouacked amoiit^'  the  rushes.  A  few  days  brought  them  to  a  moi'e 
favori'd  rejiion    ' 

.Tared  Sparks,  in  his  Life  f)f  •■Chevalier  de  La  Sall(>."  savs: 
'•  Having-  waited  as  Ion;;-  as  prudence  would  admit.  La  Salle  I'e- 
solved  to  n-o  forward.  Ice  had  formed  in  the  rivei'.  but  it  was 
dissolved  by  a  favorable  chane'c  of  the  weathei-.  On  tlie  .'Ird  of 
December  the  wliole  party,  cnnsistine-  of  t hirt  v-t hree  persons, 
took-  iheir  departure  from  the  fort  in  eio-ht  canoes  and  asciMided  to 
the  i)orlau-e.  The  distance  was  al»out  scNcntv  miles.  .\lthouuh 
a  canoe  had  before  Li'one  up  the  ri\er  to  search  for  the  portaii'e. 
yet  its  e.xact  positioi'  had  not  bi'cn  ascertained.  The  Sieur  de  Lu 
Salle  landed  to  e.\])lore  th(>  count  rv  above,  and  was  ti'one  so  lon<'- 
that  his  companions  beuan  to  be  alarmed  for  lis  -afely.  While 
he  was  wand(>riiii>' at  some  di.Mauce  from  the  river,  hopino-  to  dis- 
cover the  source  of  th(>  eastern  branch  of  the  Illinois,  he  fell  U))on 
marshy  o-rounds  covered  witli  tliick   bushes,   which   compelled   liiin 


to  Ink,,  a   lar^v   ci.vnil.  uiu]    .larkncss   owrlook    l,i,n   on    Ins   way 
lie  lir(.<l  I, is  o-u„.  |,ut  til.,  signal  was  not  answ.. n-d.      Uy  -•o„(l  luck 
lu.wcvc.-.  lH-,.s,.i,..l  a  lioM  not    far  ml.   u-liic-1,    1...  approiU'IuHl.  an.l 
<">'"Hl  nrarthc'li.va  ImmI   „r   l.avrs.   u^nm    u-l,icl,   a    man    had    Invn 
ivposm-    ,,r„l)al.ly  an    In-lian.   who.  starllrd   at    thr   soiuul   of   tlic 
o'un.  had  mad,,  a  pivripitat..  rscai....       \V(>arv  with    the   fa1i<-U(.  of 
th..  ,hiy.  and  ..Iii!!,-.!  hy  thr  laliin-  snow.  La  Sal!.,  at  onco  cam,'  to 
llu'  ivsolution  of  approprjatinu-  il„.^,>  .■omiortal.!,.  .,ua.-t,.rs  to  him- 
self  for  11,,.  nio'ht.      Cuttinn'  down    th,.   hush,.s.  an.l   .so  arranu-nig 
tlu.m  annuxl   his    litth-   ,.ncami.n„.nt    that    no  on,.  n,ul,i   a],i,.-oa,'h 
without   makinu-a  nois..  that   would  aroiisr  him   from    his   slumb,M-s 
in  time  f,.i-  d,.f,.ns,..  h,.  thivw  hims,.lf  upon  th,.  ,.ouch  ,)f  leaws  and 
slept  undislurl.,.,1    until    niornin-       j,,    th,.   aft(.rno,.n    h,.   rejoin, .d 
his   ,.,)mpani,)ns.    who    w,.iv    ov..|.i,)y,.,l    at    his    saf,     return.      Two 
opossums  w,.r,.  han-:ino.  tVom  his  Ih.11.   whi,di  he  ha,l  l<ill,^d   with   a 
,-lub  whil,.  susp,.nd,.,l  l.y    tlu-ir   tails   from   th,.    bran, -lies    of   lre<.s. 
Two  days  had  pass,. (1  in  an    nnsu,-,.,.ssful   s(.ar,.h    for    th,'   porlaov. 
At   last  the  faithful   Indian  hunt,.r.   who  had    l),.,.n   <ui1    to   'o,)k    h)r 
de,.r.  came  in  an,l  told  th.-m  wh,  r,.  it   was.  and  that  th,.y  ha,l  o-,,n,. 
too  fai-  up  th,.    riv,.r.      I  !y    his   ai,l    th,.    plae,"    was    fouid.    an,l    ih,. 
ean,),.s  and  all  tlu'Ir  contt'iits  w,.r,.  ,.arri,.d  over  a  distance   ,)f    liv,. 
or  six  mil,.s  t,)  th,.  h,.a,l- wat,.rs  of  th,.  K'ankak,.,..      Th,.  pi.,.,.auti,.n 
had  l)e,.n  taken  to  l,.av,.  U'ttcrs  hanniufr  fi-om  bran, dies  ,)f  liv,.s  in 
conspicuous  plac,.s.   both  at  th,.  f,.rt    and    th,.   i),.rta<'-,..    ,.,.ntainin>r 
iiistni,'ti,»ns  f,>r  th,-  captain  of  th,.  (irittin.  in  ,-as,'  he  should  ai'rive. 
^^)r  nearly  a  lmn,lrc,l  mil,. s   from    its   sourc,.    th,.    Kankake,"  wimis 
lhr,)uu-|i  marsh, .s.  which  atlor,!  ^-rowth  t,)  lift  I,.  , .Is,,  than  tall  ruslu's 
an,l  al, I,. rs.       .\   mor,.  ,l,.solat,.  sc,.n,>  in  th,.   mi, 1st    of   wint,'r  coul,] 
hardlv  be  ima^'in,.,!.      .\  t  h.nnih  t  h,.  ,.an,.,.s  float,.,!  on    the   wat,.rs 
of   th,'  Illinois.  aft,.r  a  voya^',.  of   thr,.,.  Iiun,lr,.d  mil,.s  by  th,.  wind- 
inii's  of   the  KankaK,',.  from  th,.  porla^-,'." 

l'eyn,»lds.  in  his  ■•rioii,.,.r  History  of  Illinois."  pai;-,'  17.  says: 
•■At  (irt.en  Hay  thcCJritlin  was  load,Nl  with  furs  and  s,.nt  to  Ni- 
an-ai-a.  whil,.  L;i  Salle,  with  fourt,.,.n  mi.n.  start, "d  for  th,.  Miamis, 
or  St.  ,los,.ph  riv,.r.  There  th,.  pai'ty  wait,.d  for  the  iv'turn  n\' 
th,.  (Ii'inin.  .\t  this  point  La  Sail,,  built  a  foi-t .  The  parly.  ,>n 
the  oi'd  ,)f  l),.,','mber.  ,',)nsist  ino-  of  thirty  lab,)r,'rs  an,l  tlir,.e 
m,)nks.  wf.nt  u])  th,.  St.  .I,)s,. ph.  cross,.,!  the  jiortau'c  to  the  Tli,.au- 
keki,   n,>w  K'ankak, >,..  and  ,lown  to  Ih,.  Illiimis  river." 


31 


Ki'oiii  Al»l)t>1ts  -Tlic  .\(lvcntiir(>s  of  Clicvalicr  dc  T^a  Sallo  and 
[[is  C()ini)anl(»ns/'  ])a<j:('  ll':{.  edition  IST.'i.  \V(>  (|Uo1(':  --On  tlio 
Ilrd  of  Di'conilKM'  Ihc  wliolc  party  of  tliirty-tlin'o  persons,  in  ei^lit 
canoes,  left  l''ort  Miami,  as  La  Salle  called  liis  works,  and  paddled 
up  the  riv(>r  a  distance  of  seventy  miles  towards  tlie  soutli.  Con- 
siderable time  was  lost  in  endeavorinji'  lo  find  tlio  trail  or  portage 
wliicli  led  from  th(>  St.  .Joseph  v'wrv  to  the  head-waters  of  tlie  [\an- 
kaUee.  which  is  the  eastern  branch  of  the  Illinois  river.  At  len«,^tli 
their  Indian  hunter  fouin'  the  ti'ad;  llie  men  took  the  canoes  and 
frei<2;lit  upon  their  shoulders  and  carried  them  over  the  portai^e 
of  livt>  or  six  miles,  which  the  Indians  had  traversed  for  countless 
ao'es.  Di'earv  in  the  exli-eme  was  the  wintrv  landsca))e  wl)ic]i 
now  opened  before  them;  the  uriMuid  was  fi-o/.en  hard:  ice  frinjrod 
tin  stream,  and  the  I'at.  marshy  expanse  was  whitened  witli  snow. 
For  nearly  a  hundred  miles  the  slugjjjish  l\ankakee  flowed  throu^-h 
a  morass  which  alVorded  growth  to  but  little  more  than  rushes 
and  alders  " 

From  Sidney  [Creese's  ••  History  of  Illinois,"  pa*:je  10'),  we 
take  the  following';  •'  IJy  Hennepin's  narrative  it  v^'oidd  seem  that 
havinir  left  the  month  of  the  Miamis  on  the  second  dav  of  Decern- 
bei",  KtT'.i,  they  rowed  twenty-live  lea}j,'ues  (seventy-live  mih>s)  in  u 
southwest  dii'cction.  and  reached  tht>  Illinois  ( [\ankakee).  navi- 
mU)le  for  canoes  to  within  one  hundred  i)ac(>s  or  its  source." 

IJancroft.  in  his  ••  History  (if  the  I'nited  States,"  \'ol.  11..  pa^e 
1(>;},  says:  ••  La  Salle,  with  ijouis  Hennepin  and  two  other  Fran- 
ciscans with  Tonti.  and  about  thirty  followers,  ascended  the  St. 
Joseph,  and  after  on(>  short  portagv  entered  a  branch  of  the  J\an- 
kakee,  which  connects  with  the  Illinois." 

"Dimn's  Indiana,  on  pa<j;c  2(i.  contains  the  followinj;'  state- 
ment: ''La  Salle's  movements  in  KIT'.l  and  KiStl.  had  little  to  do 
with  Indiana,  e.xcept  that  the  St.  Jose[)h  and  l\ankakee  rivers 
were  his  customary  route  of  travel  to  Illinois,  the  portao-e  beinjr 
made  at  the  site  of  South  Hcnd.  " 

In  Perkins"  --Annals  of  the  West."  on  pa<>-o  37,  we  find  this 
statement:  --On  the  third  of  D(>cend)(M-,  KIT'.I,  havinir  mustered 
all  his  forces,  thirty  laborers  and  three  monks,  aftt'r  haviufj;'  left 
ten  men  to  jrari-ison  the  fort,  Ija  Salle  started  aji;ain  upon  his  ^-reat 
voyage  and  o-lorious  undertaking,  ascending  tlie  St.  .los(>phs  river 
in  the  southwestern  part  of  Michigan  to  a  point  where,  by  a  short 


32 


i 

I 


( 


portage,  they  pass  t..  the  TlioaukiUi.  lu.w  rorruptcl  int..  Kankakoo. 
a  main  branch  of  tlio  Illinois  river." 

In  an  artlHo  rntitlcd  "Cawlior  do  LaSallo.  wl.i.li  appoarcl 
in  the  Chicago  Times.  Fel>.  2r>.  1SS2.  we  tind  the  lollowing:  •■After 
great  sutlering  and  many  thrilling  •.idvcntmvs,  they  iTachcd  the 
mouth  of  the  St.  Joseph  rivr.  and.  after  waiting,  were  j(.in.>d  l.y 
Tonty.  whom  La  Salle  liad  sent  to  Saiilt  St,..  Ahirie  fn.m  Macki- 
naw, to  look  after  his  fur  gatlier..rs.  The  :!r.l  of  IVceiidu'r  the  ex- 
pedition began  the  ascent  of  the  St.  .los.-ph  river,  near  the  site  of 
the  present  City  of  South  Hend.  Indiana.  Th,.  canoes,  eight  in 
number,  were  carried  acro.ss  to  the  lumkakec," 

The  above  citations  are  about  all  we  have  of  tiic  details  of 
La  Salle's  first  trip  through  this  region,  when  he  made  use  of  our 
portage,  as  told  by  Ajiierican  historians.  From  these  accounts  it 
appears  that  the  portage  landing  was  obscur(>  and  ditticult  to  lo- 
cate, and  that,  wIhmi  found,  the  distance  was  estimated  at  twenty- 
five  leagues  by  some,  and  from  seventy  to  s(>venty-live  miles  bv 
others  from  th(>  mouth  of  \]w  St.  Jos(.ph  i-iver.  and  that  the  port- 
age was  across  a  vast  i)lain,  a  part  of  which  was  a  (|uaking,  oozy 
bog;  that  on  the  western  V(>rge  of  the  plain  was  located  an  Indian 
village;  that  the  portage  was  variously  (>stimated  at  from  four  to 
six  miles  in  length;  that  the  source  of  the  Kankakee  was  in  the 
midst  of  a  (juaking,  saturated  soil,  all  around  which  were  pools  or 
ponds  of  glistening  water,  and  tliat  it  was  navigable  to  within  one 
hundred  paces  of  its  source.  It  also  appears  tluit  Francis  I'ark- 
man.  the  historian,  who  went  over  the  trail  in  the  year  LS4S. 
graphically  describes  the  portage  and  the  l\ankakee  river;  also 
the  ponds  or  pools,  which  are  still  in  e.\istenc(\  and  states  in  par- 
ticular that  here  wei-e  the  sources  of  the  K'ankakee:  all  of  which 
harmonizes  in  every  detail  with  tlie  portage  as  outlined  by  the 
Government  Surveyor  and  by  the  testimony  of  living  witnesses. 

No  other  stream  was  known  as  the  Kankakee  at  the  time  of 
Parkmans  visit,  nor  before,  back  as  far  as  1S2S.  thi'  time  of  the 
Government  survey.'  All  the  streams  in  this  county  were  well 
known  by  their  present  mimes.  We  can  hardly  believe  that  a 
careful  writer  like  i^'rancis  Parkman.who  verified  every  statement- 

1.  But  three  streams  are  mentioned  by  name  in  the  Survey  by  Brook- 

field:  viz  ,  the  St.  Joseph  rivcj-,  tlie  Kankakee  river  and  the  Grape- 
vine creek. 

2.  See  fiife  of  Francis  Farknian.  ])y  Julius  H.  Ward,  published  in  Mc- 

Chn-e's  Maj,'azine— Vol.  II.  ])aye  IS."). 

33 


lie  iiiadc  l)y  personally  cNiiininin^'  cxcry  locality  lliat  caiiic  iiilo 
his  stoi'y,  could  I'vv  in  this  j)articular  vital  point  of  the  portu^u'. 
especiall V  as  tills  (lescfiption  of  tliis  jiart  of  I. a  Salle's  trip  was 
the  cause  of   liis  visit  to  llii>  locality. 

l-'ort  unately.  we  lia\-e  access  to  the  doc  inn  en  ts.  the  vei-y  source 
from  whieli  our  historians  ha\e  taken  their  accounts  of  La  Salle's 
use  of  t he  |iortau'e:  and  I  will  later  cite  the  evidence  from  tliese 
docmnents  in  ordei-  that  tlio>e  wlio  are  ac(|uainte(l  witli  the  t()po<i,' 
raj)liy  of  this  re;;'ion  may  form  a  corret't  idea  as  to  the  location  of 
t he  porta^i'c  as  (lescril)e(l  by  the  actual  exphu'ers.  In  this  place 
we  o'i\c  ;i  list  of  t  he  ot'i<^'inal  sources.  1.  I  )e>cri|)t  ion  de  la  Lou- 
isiane.  par  le  II.  I',  liouis  Hennepin;  I'aris  Kd..  lliST.  taken  from 
t  he  volume  owned  iiy  t  he  ('liicati,()  I'uhlic  Library.  2.  John  (lil- 
mary  Siiea's  translation  of  Flennepi'i's  ••  Docript  ion  de  hi  Louisi- 
ane."  of  the  l*ai'i>  Kd.,  Itis:;.  ;}.  Kconi  Le  ('lerc(|'s  •■  Kstablisli- 
menl  of  the  I'^aitliin  New  l''rance.'  I*aris  Kd..  ItllM.  \.  l"''rom 
Memoir  by  the  Sieur  de  la  Tonti.  ••()n  tlie  Discovery  of  the  Mis- 
sissij)pi  and  tlu'  Xei^'hboiinu-  Nations,"  by  >L  de  F^a  Salle,  from 
t  he  yeai' 1  ()7s  to  the  time  of  his  death;  publislit>d  in  l-'i-encli  > 
'•Historical  Colleetions  of  Louisiana.  "  X.  Y.  \'a\..  L'^IH.  .'».  ■•l/d 
Salle's  Dairy,"  library  of  ("hicau'o  Historical  Society.  (I.  From 
''Charlevoi.x's  Letters.  "  dated  on  the  St.  .hiseph  river,  .\u;^'ust  l(i, 
172L  and  --On  the  Source  of  the  Theakiki.  "  Sep1end)er  17.  17lM, 
to  the  Madame  la  nuchesse  de  Lesdifpiieres,  I'acis  Kd.,  1744.  and 
Londen  Ed.,  17(i.">:  from  copies  in  the  Hoston  Atheiueum.  7. 
From  Daniel  Cove's  ••Carolania. "  S.  j-'rom  a  ■•.Memoir  on  the 
Indian  Tribes  i>etween  F.ake  Krie  and  the  Missisippi  IJiver," 
Paris  document.  171S.  contained  in  the  Colonial  History  of  New 
York,   \'ol.   L\'.,  pa«ie  SS'.i. 

We  will  also  present  reproductions  of  the  earlv  niajjs  on 
which  are  traced  the  St.  Joseph  riv.-r.  the  K'.inkakee  river,  to- 
^•ethei'  with  the  location  of  the  portage  as  drawn  by  the  early 
writers  and  explorers. 

IJefore  we  can  intellio-cntly  analyze  the  several  accounts  and 
harmonize  them  with  present  day  sur\-eys,  we  must  know  with 
some  deg-roe  of  c.-rtainty  the  e.juivalent  of  the  itinerary  <»r  linear 
Freneh  league  in  Knglish  miles:  for  these  early  writers  made  use 
of  th(>  league  in  stating  distances.  ll  is  remarkable  how  they 
were   able    to   estinuite    distances;    esp(>cially    distances  on    land. 

34 


I 


Distaii.vs  l.y  Will..)-  Wwy  di,)  „oi  ..stinuit.'  with  siid,  arciracy. 
No  (louht  tli(.  cunvnts  uiid  win. Is  had  sonuMliiiiu.  t,,  ,|..  with  tlii's: 
bill  (n(Mi  tlicsc  .'stiiiiat.'s  liariiiciii/..  in  a  niarvrlous  douTOf.  The 
l('u<.Hu.  in  us,,  in  New  Fran,....  and  us..,l  by  La  SalU..''H.M.nei.in. 
Tonty  and  ('harN.voix.  was  tlu-  ..Id  Kn-n. 'li  itinerary  or  lim.ar 
l('a<ru(':  tlic  l(.a<;-ii,.  now  in  us,,  in  all  tli,-  s,.i(..ni,)n,.s  in  Canada.  It 
was  111,.  ,.(|uival,-n1  ,.f  :;.()r>L'  Knu-lish  or  statute  miles. 

Mr.  Keuben  (i,  Tliwait,'s,  Seer,.tary  of  tli,.  Wis.'onsin  FJis- 
torical  So'/iely,  says,  in  a  n,)t,' on  pajjje  I'llS.  \',)1,  |\'.,  ,,f  il,,.  m-w 
edition  of  ••Tli,.  Jesuit  Relati,)ns  and  .Mli,-,!  Doeunients' :  '-TIh' 
linear  uri),.nt  ,.1'  I'aris  was  ISO  f,.,.t  (variously  e,)ni|)ut,.,l  at  l'r,)ni 
1!»1.8:!  t,)  j'.il'.:;  Kno'llsh  fe,.t).  This  was  the  ,.n,.  us,.d  in  New 
Fran,-,.  und,.r  th,.  i'nut,n,h  ,f.  /'./ris.  and  it  still  r,. mains  the  leo-al 
iiieasur,.  in  all  th,.  s,.io-niories  ,)r  ,\>u,.|),.,..  Tlie  (,)u,'l)ec.  Dt.partnient 
of  Crown  lands.  whi,.|i  w,'  adopt  as  auth,)rity.  translates  the  arpent 
into  l!n.S5  f,M.1."  Parenthetii-ally.  Mr.Thwaites  stat,>s  in  his  n,.te 
that  ther,"  are  S4  arpents  in  a  Fr,>n,'li  Unie-u,'. 

Wol)ster"s  T^iat)ri,l^r,.d  Di,-tionarv  stales  that  the  1,'aLnie  is  a 
iiwasur,.  of  liMiuth  oi- ,listanee  ,.(|ual  in  Enu-|and  and  th,>  [Jnited 
States  to  thr,-,.  geoni-aphical  miles. 

Mr.  X.  K.  Dionne.  Librarian  of  th,.  liil)li,)th,".(iue  de  la  r/'nislatur,' 
de  la  Provinee  d,.  (^lebee.  re<;'ai'ded  as  th,"  hio,-hest  authority  on  these 
matters  in  Canada,  says,  in  a  letter  dated  Quebec.  June  2.  18!I7: 
To  Gko.  a.  Hakku. 

'•Dkau  Sii«:— After  havin.^  consulted  pei'sons  ,)f  treatability 
on  the  (luostion.l  may  state:     First.    Th,'  arpent  used  in  the  French 
Canadian   coloni,'s  in  their  early  history,  was  th,'  same  as  the  one 
in  use  at  the  present    day.     S,'c,)n(l.      The  ar})ent,    which  is  still 
the  leu-al  nieasur,.  in  all  the   seijruiories  of  th,'  counti-y,  the  Prov- 
ince of  Quebec,  is  the  arpent  de    I'aris.  e(]ual   to  ISO  /,;>'i/  </e  Roi 
French    f,'et,    ,)r   to    IKLS.")    Fn^rli.sh    feet.      Third.      The    Fr,.nch 
league  is  ecpial  t,)  S4  arpents  de  Paris.      We  must  n,)t   forget  that 
the  present  Frent-h  system  (metricj  is  not    th,"   French   Canadian 
system  used  now  and  existing  since   the   beginning   ,)f  our   coun- 
try, /.  e..  1()0S.      Th,'  ,)ld  system  is  w,'ll  kn,)wn: 
1  arpent  ecjuals  WA)  />i(t/ t/f  Rui. 
S4  arpents  cjual       1  league. 
2S        "  -  1  mile. 

••This  is  ,)ur  legal   measur,'   in    use  in  all    our  Province.     In 
France  it  is  quite  ditl'erent.      Yours  truly.  X.   F.   Dionne." 

35 


Mr.  (It'Of^^c  M.  Wi'onn'.  IM-ofcssoi- ol'  llistoi-y  in  the  I 'iiivcrsif  y 
of  T(  troll  to,  and  t'ditorol'  I  {c  view  of  Historical  I'nblicat  ions  rclat  in<'' 
to  CaiuuUi,  writes  tliat :  ••>!.  Dionni"  may  !)»'  rc^iardcd  us  an  iui- 
thority  on  tlicsc  niattci's.  "  and  lie  lias  consuitt'd  otln-rs  also. 

Mr.  Douglas  lli-ynnicr.  I'liblic  Ardiivist  <»r  the  Doiiiiuion  of 
('uiuida.  says,  in  a  let fcr  dated: 

Ottawa.   May  L'dtli.   1S!»7. 
*  *  *  "Tlicrc  wci'c  several  varieties  of  lca;j,iic:   hut 

the   one    that    Charlevoix    uiidouhtedly    meant    wa>    the   ordinai-y 
league  (if    SI    arpents.      That    will    u-ive   ;», (>.'»!    plus    r)2L'll   .'ji'SlMh 
statute  miles.      'S'ou  need  have  no  liesilation  in   assuming-  Cliarle 
voix's  league  to  he  'A. {)'}'!  statute  or  l'in;j,-lisli  miles.       N'ours  trulv. 

••  |)ol(i|,.\S     I)|{VNMK1{. 

Mr.  Jai-ed  Sparks,  in  his  ••r.ife  of  Father  .Mar(piet  te.  '  also 
in  Ins  ••l.ife  of  liU  Salle,"  estimates  that  the  lea<<;ue  was  eipial  to 
three  Kiif»;lis]i  miles. 

I  need  hardly  say  that  the  authorities  aj.^ree  as  to  the  length 
of  the  league  in  vogue  in  the  eoloiiies  of  N(>w  I'^ranee.  State- 
ments to  the  etVeet  that  the  French  posting  league  of  '2.\2  Kn<«-- 
lish  miles  was  the  (Mie  used  in  iNew  France  seem  to  he  without 
foundation,  and  was  not  used  in  the  Colonies  at  all  so  far  as  I  can 
learn  from  Canadian  authorities.  The  posting  league  was  a  short 
league  and  not  a  legal  measure.  The  eijitor  of  the  ••Century  Dic- 
tionary" says  in  a  lettei-  dated.  June  ">,  1897:  ••It  was  naturally 
taken  advantage  of  in  agreements  about  tlie  hiring  of  horses  and 
conveyances.'" 

We  will  now  proceed  with  the  (piotations  from  the  writino-.s 
ot   the  explorers  and  others. 

From  the  '•  Desci-iption  iU'  la  Louisiane,""  par  le  \l.  l\  r.ouis 
Reiinepin,  beginning  at  ])age  112.  and  citing  only  that  pertain- 
ing particularly  to  the  St.  .Joseph- K'ankakee  river  portage: 

•'Nous  embartiuamesle  troisieme  Deeembre.  avee  trcMite  hom- 
ines, dans  huit  Canots  i\;  nous  remontames  la  riviere  des  Miamls 
faisant  nostre  route  au  Sud  est  durant  environ  vingt-cinf|  Hues, 
nous  ne  jnunes  reconnoistre  le  Portage  quo  nous  devoins  faire  de 
nos  canots  i^-  de  tout  re((uipage  pour  aller  nous  ombarcpier  a  la 
source  (.„  la  riviere  Siegnelay  i^  commo  nous  estions  monte/.  plus 
haut  en  canot  sans  reconnoistre  le  lieu  ou    nous   d(>vi()us   marchei' 

96 


pur  tcri'c  |Mtur  prciKlrc  ccltc  autn-  IliNicrc  (|ni  sc  vavcMulro  iiiix 
IsliiKtis,  nous  fismcs  lialtc  poiii- at  toiidrf  \v  Sicur  dc  la  Salle,  cpii 
ostoit  allr  par  tcn-c  a  la  (ii'coiivcrtc,  ^  ('omiiiic  il  tie  I'cvciinit  point 
nous  no  scavions  (pirllc  resolution  prendre. 

I*a<>'ell7.  "Nostro  Sauvu^i' estoit  reste  derriere  nous  poui- 
eliasser  A'  ne  nous  trouvant  jMiint  an  portaj^e  il  nioiita  |)lus  liaut. 
iV  nous  vint  diro  (pVd  I'allolt  (le>eei!dre  la  Kivierc  1  on  envoyaavee 
luy  lows  nos  eanots.  iV  je  restay  avoc  le  Sieur  de  la  Salle  rpn 
estoir  fort  fatigue. " 

l'ag(>llS.  Nous  joiuiiinies  n<»><  n^'ns  le  lendeniain  au  port- 
aj^o,  ou  le  Pere  (!ai)i'iel  avoil  fait  phisieui's  Croix  sur  des  arhres 
pour  nous  le  faire  I'ei-onnoistre.  *  *  *  Cel  endroit  est  seiti'ie 
au  bord  d'uue  o-rande  eanipae-ne.  a  rextreinite  de  hupielle  du  eoste 
du  Coueluiut  il  y  a  un  \nilao;e  d,.  .Miamis.  Masi-outens  iS:  Oiaton 
rainaslo/-  ensenil)le. " 

l*u;j;ell!*.  'iia  Uiviere  Seio-neJay  qui  ])asso  aux  Islinois 
})rend  sa  source  ilans  une  (•ainpaij.'ne  a<i  milieu  de  beaueoup  de 
terres  treniblanles.  Sur  les  (pielles  on  pent  a  })eine  inai'elier.  eotto 
Riviei'e  n"est  Kloi<^nie  (pie  dune  lieue  i\;  denue  de  eelle  des  Miamis, 
tS:  ainsi  nous  transportames  tout  nostrc  e(|uipa<2;o  avee  nos  Cunots 
par  un  eliemin  (pie  Ton  l)aUisa  pour  la  faeilile  de  eeux  (pii  vien- 
droicnt  apres  nous,  apres  avoii'  laisso  au  portai^e  de  ia  Kiviere 
des  Miamis.  ains  (piau  Foi'1  (pa'  Ton  avoit  eonstruit  a  son  em- 
bouchure des  leltres  poui'  servir  diiislr  ction  a  cenx  qui  devoieni 
nous  venir  joincb'e  dans  la  bar(pie  au  nond)i'e  de  vinjL^'t-cin(|."' 

Pufjo  120.  "ria  Iliviei'o  Seignelay  est  navi(rabl(>  pour  des 
canols  a  cent  pas  de  sa  source  &  elle  s'augmente  de  telle  sorte  en 
pen  de  temps,  (|u"olle.  est  L*resque  aussi  lart>;e  tS:  ])lus  prosonde 
que  la  Marne  detours  (pi(»y  (pie  son  courant  Soit  assez  fort. 
Qu'apres  avoir  vooue  une  jouriuM'  entiere  on  trouvoit  (juelquesois 
que  nous  n'avions  pas  avance  plus  de  deux  lieues.  en  droit  lij^iie 
on  lie  voyoit  aussi  loin  (pie  la  veu('  pouvoit  s'eteiidre  (jue  des 
Marais  de  joncs  \'  des  aulnes,  nous  neussions  [lu  trouuer  a  nous 
cabanner  durant  plus  de  (piarante  lieues  de  chemin,  sans  (pieUjues 
mottes  de  terres  <;'laces.  sur  Ks(piel  es  nous." 

From  Sb(>a's  translation  of  Henhepins  ••  Description  de  la 
Louisiane,"  paj^'es  135-141:  "Wc  embarked  on  the  Hrd  of  De- 
cember with  thirty  men.  in  eight  canoes,  and  ascended  the  river 
of    the  Miamis,   taking  our  course    to    the    south-east    for  about 


37 


tvvciitv  livt'  Icat'iu's.  \Vi' foiild  iiol  iii;il<i'  nut  llic  |inrl;in;c  wliidi 
uc  wt'i'i'  Id  l;il<t'  will'  our  caiitio  ami  all  our  ('(|ui|)a;;;c  in  (irdrr  to 
ground  (•iiibark  at  llic  soiirci'  itf  llic  rivtM-  Sfinii(.|ay  (Tlu-alviki), 
ami  iis  we  had  ^•oiu'  lii^^licr  u|»  in  a  canof  without  discovcriii^i'  tlic 
nhtct'  where  we  were    to    iiiai'eli    by    iiiiid    to    take    tlie    other   river 


desf^lt 


c(.miJ. 


riiitii  iiiiiiir|iiir>  mm|i.  iiwt. 
which  runs  by  the  Illinois,  we  halted  to  wait  Tor  the  Sleur  de  La 
Salle,  wlu)  had  j^-one  exploring-  on  land:  and  as  he  did  not  return 
we  did  not  know  what  eourse  to  [xirsue.  1  beo'^ed  two  of  our 
most  alert  men  to  [)enetrate  into  the  woods  and  lire  oil  their  ;j,'uns, 
so  us  to  jrive  him  notice  of  Die  spot  where  we  wei'e  waiting'  for 
luni.  Two  others  ascended  the  river,  but  to  no  purpose,  lor  tlie 
niirlil  ol)liired  them  to  retrace  their  steps.  The  next  day  1  took 
two  of  our  men  in  a  litrhtened  cunoe,  to  make  greater  expedition 
and  to  seek  him  by  ascending  th(>  river,  but  in  vain:  and  at  lour 
oclock  in  the  afternoon  we  perceived  him  at  a  distance  :  his 
hands  and  face  all  bUu-k  with  tlie  coals  and  wood  that  he  hud 
liiihted  durinii"  the  niu'lit.  which  was  cold,  lie  had  two  anlnuds 
of  the  ize  of  nuiskrats  iiany-inji;  to  his  belt,  which  had  a  very 
beautiful  skin,  like  a  kind  of  ermine,  which  he  killed  with  blows 
of  a  stit'k  without  these  little  animals  takino-  flio-ht.  and  which 
often  let  themselves  hang  by  the  tail  from  branches  of  trees:  and 
as  they  were  very  fat  our  canoe  men  feasted  on  theni.  lie  told 
us  that  the  marshes  that  he  met  with  obliged  him  to  make  a  wide 
sweep,  and  as  moreover  he  was  hindei'cd  by  the  snow,  which  was 
falling  rapidly,  ho  was  unable  to  reach  the  bank  of  the  rivi'r  l)e- 
fore  two  o'clock  at  ni(t-ht.  Ho  firecl  two  jinui-shots  to  notify  us. 
and  no  one  havini;  answered  him.  he  thouijht  the  canoes  had  ix^^nc 
ahead  of  him,  and  kept  on  his  way  along  and  up  the  river.      After 

marchinir  in  this   way  more  than    three  hours  he  saw   lire  on  a 

38 


Ill 


ouimI.  vvhifli  lie  iiscciidrd  l)niM|iii.ly,  iiinl  iil'tiM'  railing;  two  or 
three  times;  hut  il)^tl•a(l  nl'  liinliii;;;  »in  ii-«lc('|i.  a>  In-  expected.  In- 
saw  only  a  little  lire  aiiii>ii;j;  some  hniNli  and  iiiidcr  an  oak  tree; 
tlie.Npot  wliei'e  a  Mian  had  been  lyiii^  down  on  >ome  dry  lu'rl)s. 
and  vviio  had  apparently  ^oi,,.  ,)||  ;it  ti,,,  noise  whieh  he  had  heard, 
it  was  some  Indian  who  had  odiie  there  in  and)u>li  to  snrpi'i>e  and 
Kill  some  of  his  enmnes  a  Ion;;,'  I  he  ri\  er.  lie  called  to  him  in  t  wo 
or  three  lann-ua^'es.  and  at  last,  to  show  him  that  lie  did  not  tear 
him,  he  ci'ied  that  lie  wa>  ;4'oiii;;'  to  sleep  in  his  place.  He  re- 
newed the  lire.  and.  alter  warmin;^'  hiniscll'  well.  Iii>  took  -  ♦eps  to 
;j;iiai"iiitee  himself  a;4'aiiist  surprise  by  cutting'  (huvn  aro  mm,  him 
a<piantityor  Inishes.  which,  tailing'  across  those  that  I'ema'i.ied 
standiii;;',  blocked  the  way  so  that  no  one  could  a|)proaeli  him  with- 
out makiii};'  considci-able  noise  and  awukiii;;'  him.  lie  then  c.\tin 
^•uished  his  lii'e  and  slept,  althoiio-h  it  snowed  all  ni;^ht.  Father 
(Jabriel  and  I  bee-u'(>(|  the  Sieui-  ile  La  Salle  not  to  leave  his  partv 
as  he  hud  (h)ne.  showin;.;'  him  that  the  whole  successor  our  voya^i'e 
depen(h'd  on  his  presence,  (hir  Indian  had  remained  beiiind  to 
hunt,  and  not  rmdiiio-  us  at  the  porta;^.'  he  went  higher  up  and 
came  to  tell  us  that  we  would  lia\t'  to  descend  the  river.  All  our 
canoes  wei'e  sent  with  him.  and  I  remained  witli  Sieur  lU'  La 
Salle,  who  was  very  much  lalieued,  and  as  our  cabin  was  com- 
posed only  of  tla<2;-mats.  it  took  lii'c  and  would  have  burnt  us  liad 
1  not  promptly  thrown  oil  tiie  mats.  wl)icli  served  as  a  door  to 
our  lit  tie  quarters,  and  which  was  all  in  llames.  We  joined  our 
j)arty  the  ne.xt  day  at  tlie  jxn'taee.  where  Father  (iabriel  had 
ma(h'  several  crosses  (blazes)  on  the  ti'ees  that  we  miji'ht  recojr- 
nize  it.  We  found  thei-e  a  nundter  of  bullalo  liorns  and  the  car- 
casses of  those  animals,  and  some  canoes  that  the  Indians  had 
iiuide  of  butValo  skill  to  cross  the  river  with  their  load  of  meat. 
This  place  is  situated  on  the  edt^'c  of  a  ^reat  plain,  at  the  ex- 
tremity of  wliich,  on  the  westei-n  sich'.  is  a  villa*;'e  of  >riainis. 
Mascoutens  and  Oiaton  (Wees)  o-athered  together.  The  rivei- 
Seiirnelav  (Tlieakiki).  wliich  Hows  to  the  Tlliiiois.  rises  in  a  plain 
in  tlie  midst  of  much  boo-y-y  land.  o\er  which  it  is  not  easv  to 
walk.  This  river  is  only  a  leaou(>  and  a  half  distant  i-l..')?  miles) 
from  that  of  the  Miamis.  and  thus  we  transported  all  our  e(piip- 
ai>'(»  and  our  canoes  by  a  road  which  was  marked  for  the  benelit  of 
those  who  mie-ht  come  after    us.  after   leaving-   at    the   portau-e  of 


39 


imMMtmmiMwmmm!-vemmsmmmBmm 


mi* 


tht>  Miuinis  river,  as  well  as  at  the  t'oi'l  whieli  we  had  built  at  its 
nioutli.  letters,  wliieh  were  huiio-  on  the  trees  at  the  ])ass  to  serve 
as  a  ii'uide  to  those  who  were  to  eonie  and  join  us  bv  the  barciue. 
to  the  number  of  tweiity-t1v{>.  The  rivei-  Sei^iielay  is  navigable 
for  eanoes  to  within  a  hundred  ])aces  of  its  soui'ce.  and  it  increases 
to  such  an  extent  in  a  short  time  that  it  is  almost  as  broad  and 
deeper  than  the  Marne.  It  takes  its  eourse  through  vast  marshes, 
where  it  winds  aboiU  so.  though  its  eui-rent  is  pretty  strong,  that 
after  sailing  on  it  for  a  whole  da.y  we  sometimes  found  that  we 
had  not  advanced  more  than  two  l(>agues  in  a  straight  line.  As 
far  as  the  eye  could  reacli  nothing  was  to  be  seen  but  maivslies 
full  of  Hags  and  alders.  For  more  than  foi'ty  leagues  of  the  way 
we  could  not  have  found  a  camping  ground,  except  for  some  lium- 
mocUs  of  frozen  earth  upon  which  we  slept  and  lit  our  lire  '" 

La  Salle  says,  in  his  diary  of  his  second  ti'ip  through  tiiis 
region:  ••Tiiat  on  the  17th  of  November,  KiSO,  having  made  the 
portage,  which  is  two  leagues  ( (1. 1  miles)  long,  when  the  waters 
are  low.""     *     *     *     * 

Tonty,  in  his  account  of  the  trip,  written  November  14,  l(tS4. 
says:  "After  having  as'-ended  the  river  of  the  Miamis  about 
twenty-seven  leagues,  and  having  nobody  to  guide  us  to  find  the 
portage  which  goes  to  the  Kiver  Illinois.  M.  de  La  Salle  walked 
by  land,  with  the  intention  of  finding  one.  Night  canu'  upon  us 
and  we  took  to  shelter,  butM.de  La  Salle  bein<>:  entamded  be- 
ween  a  swamp  and  the  firm  ground  was  obliged  to  make  the  tour. 
Having  seen  a  tire  he  went  to  it.  lu)ping  to  find  some  savages  and 
get  shelter  with  them.  He  cried  out  like  a  savage,  but  findino- 
no  one  answered  him,  he  entercnl  the  brusliwood  wliere  the  fire 
was.  He  found  nobody,  and  it  was  surely  the  hut  of  some  war- 
rior who  had  been  afraid  of  him.  He  lay  down  with  two  fire- 
brands befo)'3  him.  although  it  was  very  culd.  and  even  snowed. 
He  joined  me  the  next  day.  There  arrive<l  also  a  suvat.'e  Inmter 
of  La  Salles.  who  told  us  that  the  people  whom  I  had  left  were 
waiting  for  us  at  t])e  portage,  which  was  two  leagues  below  us. 
The  portage  found  and  people  reassembled,  that  caused  us  irreat 

joy-" 


^^ 


40 


Tonly,  in  liis  nuMiioir  «.ii  (lie  ••  Discovi.ry  of  Hk.  Mississinui. ■" 
siiys:  -M.  dc  La  Sullc  sent  liis  bout  l)ack  lo  Xiao'ara  l,,  iVtcli  llic 
tliinus  1),.  wiuiti'd  iiiul  cmhai-kcd  in  a  canoi":  continued  liis  vov- 
ao-<'  to  llic  Miainis  I'ivcr  and  tiicrc  c-oniincnccd  to  buih]  a  liousc. 
In  lli(>  meantime  I  eaine  up  with  llie  deserters  and  hi-ouo-ht  tliem 
hack  to  witliin  tliirty  l(>a<rii,.s  of  the  Miamis  river,  where  I  was 
oblio-(.d  to  leave  my  nu'ii  in  order  to  hunt,  our  provision.-,  failino- 
us.  I  then  went  on  to  join  M.  ch'  hi  SaUe.  WIhmi  I  arrived  he 
told  me  lie  wished  that  all  the  men  had  come  with  me.  in  orcU'r 
that  he  ini<>-h1  pi-oceed  to  1li(>  Illinois.  I  therefoi-e  retraced  my 
way  to  find  them:  but  the  violence  of  tiio  wind  forced  me  to  land 
and  our  canoe  was  upset  by  the  violeiic.>  of  the  waves.  It  was, 
however,  saved:  but  eviM-ythino-  that  was  in  it  vvas  lost,  and  for 
want  of  provisions  we  lived  foi-  three  days  on  acon.s.  I  s(Mit  word 
of  what  had  happened  to  M.  de  f.a  Salle,  and  he  directed  nic  to 
join  him.  I  went  back  in  my  little  canoe,  and  as  soon  as  [  arrived 
we  ascended  twenty-iive  leao-ues  as  far  as  th(>  portao-e,  where  the 
men  whom  I  had  left  behind  joIikmI  us.  We  made  \ho  porta<»'e, 
which  extends  about  two  lea<j;-ues.  and  came  to  the  soui-c(>  of  the 
Illinois  river.  We  eml»arked  there,  descending  the  river  for  om' 
hundred  hsigues  and  arrived  at  tlie  village  of   the  savages." 


I''r(iiii   l''j':iiii{ii>'lin  s  Ma|i.  lii^S. 

Le  Clercq.  in  his  '-Establishment of  the  l"\iith  in  New  l-'ranec," 
says:  -'iNhnin while,  on  the  ISlli  of  S(>])1('mber.  the  Sieur  de  La 
Salle,  with  oui*  l"\ithei's  and  seventeen  men.  continued  their  route 
in  canoes,  by  r^ake  Dauphin,  to  the  mouth  of  the  river  of  the  .Mi- 
amis,  whore  they  arrived  on  tlio  Islof  NovendxM'.  'Phis  place  had 
been  ujipointed  ii  rendezvous  for  twenty  Frenchmen,  who  came  by 

41 


*i 


tlic  ()})positr  slutro.  and  ulso  for  llie  Sioiii'  dc  Toiily,  who  had  been 
sent  by  the  SUnn- do  I^a  Salle  to  Missiliiiuikinak  on  anotlior  oxpodi- 
tion.  The  Sicur  do  La  Salle  built  a  Tort'  tliere.  to  piil  his  men  and 
property  in  safety  at>'ainst  Ilie  assuLdts  of  the  Indians.  Our  I'oli- 
ifious  Fathers  soon  had  a  bai'k  cabin  envted  to  servo  as  a  chapel, 
wliere  they  exercised  their  ministry  foi*  Fr(MU'h  and  Indians  until 
the  iWd  of  December  followinij;.  when,  leaving  four  men  in  the 
fort,  they  went  in  search  of  the  portage  which  would  bring  them 
to  the  Seignelay  river,  whicli  descends  1o  the  Rivei-  Mississippi. 
They  embarked  on  this  river  to  the  nundicn'of  thirty  or  forty  ])er- 
sons,  by  which,  after  a  liundrcd  or  a  hundred  and  twenty  leagues 
sail,  tliey  an-ived  toward  the  close  of  December  at  the  greatest 
village  of  the  Illinois,  com])osed  of  about  four  or  five  hundred 
cabins,  each  of  five  or  six  families." 

In  the  memoir  on  '-The  Indians  Hetwoeii  lake  Erie  and  the 
\]ississi])pi."  Paris  Documents.  171S.  published  in  the  Colonial 
History  of  the  State  of  New  York.  \"ol.  IX.,  page  liSII.  we  find 
the  following  statement:  ••The  River  St .  Joseph  is  soutli  of  Lake 
Michigan,  formerly  the  Lake  of  Illinois.  Many  take  this  river  to 
the  Rocks,  because  it  is  convenient,  and  they  thereby  avoid  the 
portages  des  Chaines  and  des  Perches." 

We  now  come  to  the  letters  of  Cliarlevoix.'  writtcMi  to  the 
Madame  la  Duchesse  do  Lesdicjuieres.  We  quote  first,  from  the 
letter  of  August  1(1,  1721.  dated  RiviM- St.  Jose})h:  "It  is  eight 
days  since  I  arrived  at  this  post,  where   we  have  a  mission,   and 


1.  lu  liis  1  loyal  Charier,  La  Salle  was  ^^iven  perrais.sion  f"  < -rlablish 

Forts._  It  was  his  intention  to  make  this  ])la('e  at  tlie  luu nh  of  the 
Miamis  river  the  base  of  operation  and  his  vessel's  principal  port 
on  r^ake  Michigan.  On  the  nia]>  which  accompanies  Hennepin's 
work,  "Description  de  la  fjouisianc  "  La  Halle's  Foi-t  is  called 
Fort  Des  Miamis.  (.'harlcvoix.  wlio  visited  the  St  Joseph  river 
in  1721,  makes  no  mention  of  any  Fort  at  the  mouth  of  tlie 
river  either  in  his  "  Letters  to  the  Madame  la  Duchesse  <le  Lesdi- 
quieres  "  or  in  his  "  History  of  New  France."  There  i.s  no  record 
of  any  fort  at  tlie  mouth  of  the  river  except  that  built  by  Fa  Salle. 
After  his  final  departure  fi-om  this  region  the  site  was  riever  used 
as  a  military  or  trading"-  post,  it  was  known  as  the  harbor  of  tlie 
St.  Joseph  river,  and  by  sailors  as  late  as  1S;?|,  as  Saranae  and 
Ncwburryport.  In  March  l.s:{4,  tlie  little  settlement  was  incorpo- 
rated as  the  villay-e  of  St.  Joseph,  tlie  name  of  the  ifresentd>caiitiful 
city. 

2.  Pierre  Francois  Xavier  Charlevoix. 

48 


vvhoi'c  thoro  is  u  conimiindunt  with  ii  sinull  <2;.ivrison.  Tho  coin- 
maiulant's  hous(%  which  is  a  -ci-y  soi-ry  <>iu\  is  called  the  Fort.' 
from  its  bcin<2;  surrounded  with  an  iudilTerent  jialisado,  whicli  is 
in-etty  near  the  case  witli  all  the  rest.  We  liave  here  two  villages 
of  Tndians,  one  of  the  Mianiis  and  tlie  otlu-r  of  tlie  Pottawato- 
inies:  botli  of  them  mostly  Cliristiiin.  but  they  liave  l)een  for  a 
lono-  til,  .'  without  any  pastor.  The  missionary  wlio  has  been  lately 
sent  to  them  will  have  no  small  ditticulty  in  bringin;^-  them  back  to 
the  exercise  of  their  reli»i;ion.  The  River  St.  Joseph  comes  from 
the  south  and  discharges  itself  into  Lake  .Micliigan  (the  eastern 
shore  of  which  is  a  hundred  leagues  in  lengtli).  and  whicli  you  are 
oblio-cd  to  sail  along  bei'ore  you  come  to  the  t>ntry  of  the  river. 
You  afterwards  sail  up  twenty  leagues  in  it  before  you  reach  the 
fort,  which  navigation  x-equires  great  precaution." 

I  will  state  that  this  distance,  by  actual  survey  of  the  west 
bank  of  the  riv(>r,  is  a  trifle  over  fifty-nine  miles.  It  is  estimated 
in  Perkins"  '-Annals  of  the  West,"'  at  sixty  miles. 


I'voni  Clmilfvoixs  .Miip,  I'liblislud  irn. 


1  Fort  St.  Joseph  was  loeated  one  mile  south  of  the  i)resent  city  of 
Niles"  Michii>an.  on  the  east  hank  of  the  St.  .h)seph  river.  Near 
this  site  was'^a  village  of  the  Miami  Indians.  Father  Aveneau  of 
the  Society  of  Jesus  established  a  mihsion  there  in  1<>!K).  February 
llth  l()!)l,"(rOvernor  Denonville  granted  this  society  a  concession  of 
•'0  aruent's  along  the  St.  .losepli  river  by  20  arpents  in  depth,  at 
such  a  si)Ot  as  they  should  deem  most  suitable  to  erect  a  ehai)el 
and  liouse  Sieur  dc  Courtenumehe  with  some  Canadian  .soldiers 
\vei-e  at  the  nussion  in  lOit.").  and  protected  tlie  missionaries  from 
the  Frociuls.  In  U)l»i.  a  MiliiMiry  l\)st  was  established  there.  From 
that  time  it  was  known  in  history  as  I'ort  St.  .loseph.  until  it  was 
destroyed  by  the  Spanish  Fxpedilion  fi-om  St.  Louis  in  17«1. 

43 


Charlevoix,  in  liis  IcMter  lo  the  Duchesse,  dated  on  the  Source 
of  the  Theukilx-i.  the  17th  of  Sep1eiiil)er.  1721.  says:  "Makamk:  — 
I  did  not  expect  to  take  my  pen  so  soon  again  to  write  to  you,  but 
my  guides  have  just  Itroken  their  boat,  and  liere  T  am  again  de- 
layed for  a  whole  day  in  a  place  where  I  lind  nothing  to  excite 
the  cui'iosity  of  a  ti-avejer.  so  I  have  nothing  better  to  do  than  to 
yield  myself  to  the  pleasure  of  talking  with  you.  1  believe  1 
made  you  understand  in  my  last  that  1  had  two  routes  to  choose 
between  for  reaching  the  Illinois.  The  first  was  lo  return  to  Lake 
Michiii'an,  to  follow  its  southern  course,  and  to  enter  the  little 
river  of  Chicago.  After  having  ascended  it  live  or  six  leagues 
one  passes  into  that  of  the  Illinois  by  means  of  two  portages,  the 
longer  of  which  is  only  tive-(|uai'ter  leagues;  l)\it  as  this  river  is. 
howeveiv  only  a  l)rook  at  this  plai-e,  I  was  wai'iied  that  at  this  sea- 
son I  should  not  find  In  it  eiu)ugh  water  for  my  boat.  Therefon* 
]  took  the  other  route,  which,  indeed,  has  its  Inconveniences  and 
is  not  nearly  as  agreeable,  but  it  is  surer.  T  left  yesterday  the 
fort  of  St.  J()se})h  rivei".  and  I  ascended  this  river  about  six  leagues. 
I  disembarked  on  the  right,  walked  five-(|uartei'  leagues,  first  fol- 
lowing: the  cdii'e  of  the  water,  then  across  the  lields  into  a  ii'reat 
prairie,  all  sprinkled  with  little  tufts  of  WDodland.  which  have  a 
very  beautiful  effect.  It  is  called  -la  Prairie  de  Tete  de  Bd'uf. ' 
because  there  was  found  therc^  so  they  say.  an  ox's  head,  which 
was  monstrous  in  size.  Why  may  there  not  have  been  giants 
among  these  animals  also?  I  encamped  in  a  beautiful  place  called 
'U»  Fort  des  Renards."  I)ecause  the  wolves,  that  is  tlie  Outaoaniis. 
had  there  not  long  ago  a  village  fortified  In  tlu'ir  way.  This 
morning  I  went  a  league  fartlier  into  th(>  prairie:  my  feet  almost 
constantly  in  water.  There  I  found  a  sort  of  pond  which  commu- 
nicates with  .several  others  of  different  sizes,  the  lartjest  of  which 
Is  only  one  hundred  paces  in  circuit.  These  are  the  sources  of  a 
river  called  Tlieakiki,  wl.ch,  l)y  corruption,  our  Canadians  name 
Kiakiki.  Theak  means  a  wolf.  \  no  lony-cM*  recall  in  what  Ian- 
guage,  but  this  river  bears  that  name  because  the  Mahingans,  who 
are  also  called  tlie  Wolves,  formerly  took  refuge  there.  We  put 
our  boat,  which  two  men  had  carried  up  to  this  point,  into  the 
second  of  these  sources  and  we  embarked,  but  we  had  scarcely 
enougli  water  to  keep  afloat.  Ten  men  would  make  In  two  days 
a  straight  and  navigable  canal,    which   would  save   much  trouble 

44 


and  ten  or  Iwclvo  l(>;iou,.s  of  road,  lor  the  rivor.  at  its  issue  from 
the  source,  is  so  narrow,  and  it  is  necessiiry  to  continually  tui-n 
so  sharply,  that  at  each  instant  one  is  in  danger  of  hreakino-  his 
boat,  as  has  just  hap])ened  to  us." 


^.O'. 


y^e^  iLa^r^i^i/^ 


4»i 


2^' 


Daniel  Coxe,  in  his  '-Di^scription  of  the  Knu-jish  Province  of 
Carolina."  jiublished  in  1722,  oiv,.s  the  distance  fi-oiu  the  St.  Jo- 
seph rivM'r  to  the  Theakiki  as  six  uiiUs. 

These  are  the  data  from  which  the  historians  obtained  their 
knowledu-e  of  the  portage  ;  and  it  seems  that  the  citations  oivcn 
cover  everything  they  mention,  and  without  doubt  are  the  orifi- 
nal  sources  of  their  information. 

From  the  account  of  Charlevoix,  we  know  that  the  distance 
from  the  mouth  of  the  river  to  Fort  St.  Joseph  was  <'stiniated  by 
him  at  twenty  leagues,  or  sixty  one  Knglish  miles.  The  actual 
distance  by  survey  is  tifty  nine  miles.  We  know  from  Hennepin's 
and  Tonty's  account,  and  indirectly  from  Charlevoix's  account, 
that  the  portage  was  obscure  and  hard  to  find,  which  would  not 
have  been  the  case  if  it  had  been  well  delined  and  marked  l)y 
the  mouth  of  a  creek  or  brook.'  From  the  accounts  of  Hen- 
nepin and  Tonty,  we  know  that  La  Salle's  party  passed  the  por- 
tage. Tonty  says  that  they  a.scended  twenty  sevtMi  leagues,  and 
that  they  descended  two  leagues  to  tlie  portage,  making  the  dis- 
tance from  the  mouth  of  the  i-iver  twenty  five  leagues,  or  live 
leagues  from  the  site  of  Foi-t  St.  Jos(>ph.  as  located  by  Charle- 
voix. Charlevoix  states  in  his  letter  of  September  17.  1721  :  "Tas- 
cended  the  river  about  six  leagues"  and  he  evidently  passed  the 
portage  landing  as  had  \a\  Salle  and  his  followers.  He  further 
states  that  he  walked   live-quarter  leagues,  three  and  three-cpiar- 


It  has  ])fcn  suyycstcd  tliat  the  poi'tuyc  liui<lin<4-  injo'ht  have  Ix'cii  at 
Witters  Branch.  23  chains  and  '»()  links.  (15")!  fVcti  down  the  river 
from  the  landiny:  to  the  Kankakee  as  located  by  the  jrovermnent 
surveyor,  (see  iiaj^t's  1")  and  It)  of  this  phaniplet)  and  thus  necessi- 
tating- a  longer  portaging.  No  Indian  or  ronveur  dc  hnin,  and  hard- 
ly any  one  else,  for  that  inattei".  would  make  a  landing  for  a  por- 
tage of  four  to  six  nules.  that  would  compel  him  to  eai-ry  his 
canoe,  etc,  a  foot  farther  then  necessary.  It  follows  that  La  Salle 
did  not  ask  Ins  imUinons  men  to  <io  so. 


45 


mm 


m 


X 


Itr  inilos.  lii-sl  rollowino-  Hi,.  ,.,lov  ,,r  ili,>  ua1cr.  W'c  cun  cstiinate 
tlic  (lislaiicc  he  traveled  aloiio'  tlic  cd^'c  nf  the  walcr  (|ui1(M'l()soly. 
as  lie  stales  that  the  (i\  e  (|iiai-tei'  leat^'ues  hroiiirht  him  in  the 
fortified  Indian  vilhiov.  This  vilhiuv  was  two  and  one-half  miles 
from  tlie  portage  landino-  and  on  tlie  western  verge  of  the  prairie: 
hence  Charlevoix  must  havedecended  the  river  from  a  point  ahoul 
opposite  St.  Mary's  Academy  ;  one  and  one-(piai'ter  miles  to  the 
portage  landing.  This  is  about  the  only  place  he  could  have 
walked  along  tlie  river's  edge  ;  for  below  the  landing,  the  western 
bank  of  the  river  is  high  and  precipitous,  ami  above  it  is.  in  the 
main,  low  and  terraced. 


Outii,,,.  „,.awin.  Snowin,  ,„H.,.tl„„  „r  „..,„„. ■,  ,,,„,,    ^,,.,.  ^,„„,,^,„.  ^,_,,  ^ 


I  thr  I'Drtatre. 


46 


[ioth  Flcniicpiii  iiiul  Cliarlrvoix  slate  tliat  llic  soui-cc  (if  tlu' 
l\ankakoo  was  in  a  praii-ic  ui-  plain,  and  lliat  llic  land  was  wot 
and  ho^iry.  over  which  it  was  not  easy  lo  walk.  Cliarlcvoix  says 
of  th(»  last  Ica^MH',  Ihroe  miles,  ••my  feet  were  almost  eonstatjt  Iv  in 
tlie  water."  I'arkman  says  that  th(>  soil  (piaked  hencath  tlieir 
tread  and  all  around  wei-e  pools  of  ^j^listenino^  water.  Hennepin 
states  that  this  point  is  only  a  league  and  a  half.  4.r)7  miles,  dis- 
tant from  the  Mian)is  river.  This  corresponds  to  the  distance 
measured  alonu-  the  porta<>;e  trail,  as  located  hv  the  (iovei-n- 
ment  Sui-vey,  and  verified  by  sucli  well  known  surveyors  as  Mr. 
William  Kosencrans.  Mr.  Fred  Kellar.  and  the  late  Milton  |{. 
Stokes.  At  a  point  a  little  to  the  northeast  of  the  middle  of  Section 
17,  Townshi})  iJT  North.  Range  2  Kast,  in  bogg'y  and  wet  around, 
prominently  and  clearly  indicated,  are  the  basins  of  three  small 
pools  or  ponds,  thelaro^ost  of  which  is  not  over  one  hundred  paces 
in  circumference.  They  are  the  sources  of  the  crooked  and  wind- 
ing- northwest  branch  of  the  Kankake(»  river.  These  ponds  are, 
without  any  doubt,  the  ones  referred  to  by  Hennepin  and  Charle- 
voix, as  tlie  place  where  they  launched  tluMr  canoes. 

I^a  Salle  on  his  secon<l  tri])  states  that  the  portage  was  two 
leagues  (six  miles)  when  the  water  was  low,  which  would  indicate 
that  La  Salle  on  this  triji.  einbark(>d  on  the  Kankakee  between 
Sections  1!»  and  20.  Township  :;7  North,  Range  2  East. 

It  has  been  suggested  that  Charlevoix  might  have  continued 
his  journey  directly  west  one  league,  throe  miles,  from  the  forti- 
fied Indian  village.  If  this  had  been  the  case,  he  vvould  have  gone 
through  forest  and  over  dry  rolling  land,  l)ringing  him  to  the 
west  of  Heaver  Lake;'  the  lak(>  farthest  noi'tli  of  the  three,  known 
as  Chain  Lakes.  The  outlet  of  these  lakes  is  tlie  (ira])evin(> 
Creek,  which  flows   toward   the  south  for  a  distance  of  ten  miles 

1.  This  little  hike  to  the  soul  li  of  l'';iii'view  Ciiapel  in  Warren  T()\vnslii|i. 
St.  Jcsei)h  County,  was  in  IS',",)  ovvv  tlu'ce  tlionsund  feet  in  circuiii- 
ferenee.  in  is:iil  Mr.  Cluii-les  Woolverton.  enlui'ji'cd  Us  outlet  : 
hiter  tlie  partially  recluinied  land  was  ditclied.  inakinj^-  it  most 
(lesira})le  |)astnreland.  There  still  remain,  however,  two  oi' three 
wet  siK)ts.  formerly  tlie  deep  holes  in  this  little  lake,  iaid  tliouyli 
they  are  connected  by  a  ditcli  with  the  former  outlet,  these  ])laees 
remain  moist  and  marshy.  I  call  attention  to  the  above  facts. 
l)eeause  these  wet  s])ots  have  l)een  mentioned  as  the  pools  or  ])onds 
referred  to  l>y  Hennepin  and  Charlevoix. 


47 


J 


a 
P. 


through  Ihc  Cinipcvino  woods  Ix^foi'c  it  empties  into  the  Kankakee. 
However,  rharlevoix  states  distiiu'tly  that  after  leaviiin-  the 
foi'tified  Indian  village,  he  walked  one  leagut;  further  into  tlie 
prairie,  witli  his  feet  almost  constantly  in  tiie  water.  Tins  state- 
ment is  the  best  evidence  that  Charlevoix  did  not  go  by  way  of 
Chain  Lakes  and  the  (irapevine  Creek:  but  did  go  throuo-h  the 
boggy  and  marsliy  ground  in  the  vicinity  of  the  shallow  Cran- 
berry. Crill  and  Mud  T^akc^s.  in  Section  5  and  8,  to  the  ponds,  and 
to  the  landing  on  the  Kankakee,  as  made  by  Hennepin,  Tonty 
and  La  Salle,  in  their  portage  of  December,  l(i7!>. 

Chai'levoix  evidently  did  not  follow  the  pcn'tage  from  river  to 
river,  as  we  have  every  reason  to  think  that  La  Salle's  party  with 
their  canoes  and  heavy  bui'dens  did.  He  came  to  this  country 
mainly  to  visit  and  report  on  the  condition  of  the  Indian  missions; 
a  good  reason  for  his  visit  to  the  fortified  Indian  village  on 
the  western  verge  of  the  prairie.  Finding  tlie  village  abandoned, 
he  the  next  day  continued  his  journey  .southward,  and  together 
with  his  two  companions,  launched  their  cano(>  on  the  Jvankakee. 
The  detour  making  a  distance  traveled  live  and  one-half  miles, 
which  is  longei-  than  the  regular  trail  followcMl  t)etween  the  two 
landing  places. 

In  conclusion  we  can  confidently  infer  that  the  trail  as  used 
by  La  Salle  and  the  early  Frencli  explorers  and  by  them  made 
historic.  c(mimencedat  the  landing  on  the  St.  Joseph  riv(>r,  at  the 
place  indicated  in  Brookfields  survey,  and  thence  leading  to  the 
southwest  to  the  ponds  which  were  the  source  of  the  northwest 
branch  of  the  Kankakee. 


48 


Kroiii  II.  S.  Taniici's  Miip  of  Oliici  and  Indiiirm,  I'lililislicil  at   I'liiladoliiliia,  isi'.i 


Knmi  .loliii  KarniiM's  Map  id'  Indiana.  I'uhlislicd  at   Detroit.  IS.T. 


